Of Relics and Men
by Gree
Summary: Catalysts. They determine the summoning of Heroic Spirits. The whims of fate in the Fourth Holy Grail War result in a different set of Servants. The Tohsaka family obtains a relic for a hero of India. The Matou summon a hero from Victorian England. The Einzberns get a very different King Arthur. These Servants will alter the destines of those in the Fourth War.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** This is something I've had planned for quite some time.

Reviews and comments are welcomed.

* * *

 **Of Relics and Men-Chapter One**

A girl stood before the window in the Tohsaka house, peering out into the fading light in the distance. An orange glow was setting on the horizon, signaling the advent of dusk over the city of Fuyuki.

''Hey! Who're you?'' a young voice filled the air, addressing the beautiful girl in a white dress.

Of course, this girl wasn't human. She was the Heroic Spirit of Assassination, Hassan-i-Sabbah.

Assassin turned around, using her Shapeshifting skill to remold her features into something more normal. She didn't have a regular face like other humans did. It had been scraped away as part of the rite of passage to become the ''Old Man of the Mountain''. But thanks to her personal abilities she could take the face of a young maiden.

Assassin looked down to see the form of a young twin-tailed girl struggling to lift a pair of briefcases that undoubtedly contained her personal belongings. This girl was the daughter of Tokiomi, Rin Tohsaka, the heiress of the prestigious family.

Of course, she had seen Rin before when she had guarded the Tohsaka mansion as part of Kirei's commands to her. However, she had been mostly hidden then and had not yet revealed herself until now.

''I'm an associate of Kirei Kotomine.'' Assassin replied smoothly. It wasn't a lie. She was invited here by Kirei Kotomine.

''Huh? A friend of that creepy guy?'' Rin made a face at that thought, dropping one of her briefcases.

''A person like you looks lonely. Why don't I show you around?'' she addressed Assassin, holding out a single hand. It was the innocence and nature of a child that caused her to do that, something that hadn't yet been eliminated by the training of a magus.

Assassin turned away, refusing the hand in a cold gesture. It was a rude and unfriendly thing to do, but…

…Rin Tohsaka would die if she touched her.

That was her Noble Phantasm, Zabaniya: _Delusional Poison Body_. Her entire body had been transformed into highly lethal toxins. Her very touch was death. For an average human, even a single moment of contact would have spelled her instant death.

That could not be allowed to happen to the daughter of Tokiomi. Servant Assassin understood that Tokiomi was the real master of her own Master, Kirei Kotomine. She was truly the ''Servant of a servant'' in that regard. Thus accidentally killing Tokiomi's only daughter would end badly for her.

''I'm sorry, but I have no interest in that, Assassin said stiffly, moving away from Rin. The meaning was clear in that.

''Sheesh, be a meanie then.'' Rin gave a childish pout and picked up her briefcase again, before moving away.

It wasn't like Assassin didn't like children. On the contrary, she appreciated them for having an innocent and pure nature. It wasn't like Assassin didn't want to have friends either. No, all of that was inevitably decided by the nature of her body.

The thing that marked her out as a ''miracle'' required to become the leader of the Hashashin order had also meant she would be isolated from her fellow humans. With her touch bringing swift death, she could only endure loneliness and solitude.

Turning her thoughts to the Holy Grail War, she began to think of her Master.

She didn't understand Kirei Kotomine at all. Whereas men were typically drawn to her body and thus killed themselves out of lust, Kirei barely even glanced in her direction. There was an acute lack of interest there. It wasn't the chastity of a Catholic priest or anything concerning preference in women, but rather a lack of engagement in anything.

It was the same as the following week. Kirei Kotomine approached life with the same stoic commitment that only a joyless machine could possess. From what little she had learned in that week, Kirei himself had no wish for the Holy Grail at all. He only desired to serve Tokiomi Tohsaka because he was ordered so.

Therein lay the crux of her other problem. As her Master served another Master, which would mean that Kirei's Servant would, in turn, be subservient to Tokiomi Tohsaka. She was on the lowest rung of the Tohsaka camp, which meant her chances of gaining the Grail were slim with a Master that had no interest in actually winning the Grail.

With that in mind, perhaps she would have attempted to kill Kirei or Tokiomi. Then she would slip away with her Independent Action skill to find another Master. However one of the first things that Kirei Kotomine had done when looking over her skills and abilities had been to use a Command Spell to prevent her from touching him or Tokiomi. He had recognized the potential danger of an Assassin with her skills and that Noble Phantasm. Thus it was that she was resigned to her current fate.

For the last week under Kirei's orders, she had patrolled the Tohsaka mansion and guarded it against any potential intruders or spies. Tokiomi was waiting for his holy relic to arrive to summon his Servant. She did not know the Heroic Spirit in question.

With that, the single poison flower could only look out the window as the sun set.

* * *

Tokiomi Tohsaka was an anachronism, Kirei Kotomine mused.

The family mansion of the Tohsaka clan was a stately Western style dwelling, constructed sometime after the Meiji Revolution. It was the sort of thing that might have been built to appeal to foreign architectural sensibilities. Tokiomi Tohsaka's workshop also was the very picture of a traditional magus's study, with none of the trappings of modern civilization. It was if one took a breath and stepped back almost a century ago.

Right now his father Risei was quietly speaking to his mentor, who sat comfortably in a carved oak chair, a glass of red wine in his hand. Handsome, wealthy and powerful, Tokiomi was the sort of ideal magus one might imagine. A man utterly dedicated to his pursuit of magecraft and the elegance of his station as the Second Owner of the lands. Neither Tokiomi nor Risei looked up when he entered. Kirei had become almost a ''background event'' in the past three years.

''It's a pity we could not find Gilgamesh's relic.'' Tokiomi sighed, swirling the red wine in his glass.

This comment caught Kirei's attention, though he did not show it on his face. The Tohsaka faction's plan for victory was simple enough. Kirei himself had summoned Assassin almost a week ago to utilize as a scout. The Hassan of Serenity was not particularly powerful, but she would suffice for their purposes. To offset Kirei summoning such a weak Servant, Tokiomi aimed to summon a powerful Servant with immense abilities. Previously Tokiomi had not mentioned which hero he had planned to summon, but if what Tokiomi had said was true…

No wonder Tokiomi had approached his plans with confidence. The King of Heroes would have guaranteed victory due to being one of the oldest and strongest of the Heroic Spirits. Such a force would have swept aside all the other Servants like a tsunami smashing buildings. However judging from Tokiomi's expression, his search for the appropriate catalyst to summon Gilgamesh had not been very successful.

''Yes. Our efforts in Iraq had proved fruitless. None of the archeological teams had found anything.'' Risei signed.

Tokiomi had spent much money and time to locate something suitable to summon Gilgamesh as his Servant, but that had proven to be a waste of time. Father Risei studied the perturbed look on his ally's face. Their contacts had come up with empty hands. All that remained was to try and enact their backup plan to recoup their losses. Gilgamesh would not be summoned, but the Tohsaka representative had to have a Servant.

Tokiomi could try to summon a Servant without a catalyst, trusting in his personality for something suitable, but he might get some minor hero who matched his personality. Then victory would be unlikely. Thus his only recourse was to find another hero, something he had commenced as he started to get doubts about the search in the Middle East. He had spent a large sum on trying to find Gilgamesh's relic, but fortunately, Father Risei was willing to use the Church's resources and connections to secure another Servant. It was against the rules, but the Church has a vested interest in delivering the Grail to the hands of the Tohsaka.

''You should be pleased to know that our excavations in Haryana have borne fruit. Your suspicions on that relic have proven to be correct.'' Risei informed Tokiomi.

''Have you verified its authenticity?''

''Indeed. It's a piece of that great hero's weapon.'' the priest confirmed.

''Excellent. Not all is lost then.'' Tokiomi sighed, sipping his glass.

 _Haryana?_ That was a place in India. Did Tokiomi want to summon a Heroic Spirt from the Hindu mythological cycles?Kirei wondered. Many great and powerful heroes could be summoned from that place.

"Are you summoning an Archer?'' the master of Assassin interjected, his tone flat. It was one of the three Knight classes true, but they could prove troublesome with their Independent Action skill that allowed them to exist without a Master.

''Ideally, that would be the most suitable class for most of the heroes from that region.'' the red-clad magus acknowledged. It was part of the training for the Holy Grail War that potential Masters conducted a thorough reading of mythology and history to try to discern the identity of enemy Servants. The land of India boasted many legendary bowmen; it was a logical assumption for Tokiomi's Servant.

''This Servant will guarantee victory then?'' Kirei inquired, a tiny flicker of interest flaring in the bottom of his soul.

''Yes, most certainly. The Heroic Spirit that I will summon will prove to be an acceptable replacement for the King of Heroes.'' Tokiomi smirked.

* * *

''Dammit,'' Kayneth swore before he took another sip of brandy, relishing the sharp taste.

''That's just bad luck to have that happen.'' Bram Nuada-Ri Sophia-Ri remarked, sitting in a chair in Kayneth's personal office. Located in the Department of Euryphis, Kayneth possessed comfortable and elegant quarters the envy of any noble magus in London. Only the very finest for the head of the Archibald family.

Currently, all this finery did nothing to improve Kayneth's foul mood. He had recently spent a good deal of financial capital to secure the relic of Alexander the Great, a piece of his cloak found in an excavation in Greece. He had thought he had taken steps to neutralize any potential rivals from seizing the relic first, but it had disappeared when he had arrived at the Clock Tower. The delivery company claimed they had delivered it to one of his employees, but nobody in his family's employ knew anything about that.

It was a disaster, the loss of a priceless relic would put a significant setback for his plans in the Holy Grail War. He was forced to try and secure another Servant in a very short amount of time. Given the short amount of time before the Holy Grail War began, he was uncertain about getting the relic for another strong hero.

 _Who stole it?_ Kayneth wondered, his mind flickering to various noble families and political opponents that he knew in the Clock Tower. Someone of his station had no shortage of jealous rivals and opponents who would have loved to see the Lord El-Melloi embarrassed. After all, hadn't he proclaimed his willingness to enter the Holy Grail War? That he would prove his valor and brilliance against the best that the Three Great Families had to offer? Being forced to back out after making such a proclamation would tarnish his standing in the eyes of the Clock Tower's nobility.

''Could it be the Yggdmillenia perhaps? I heard that their founder had an interest in the Holy Grail.'' Bram suggested.

''Possibly. The Eight-Forked Serpent would have the guile, but I've heard he's embroiled in some internal family dispute.'' Kayneth pondered. He walked over from the window where he was brooding and sat down in a high-backed chair, staring into the brandy.

Doubtlessly some rival noble was hiding the relic from him, wanting to watch his social humiliation. Kayneth didn't think any of the other three families had necessarily interfered. He had gone to lengths to be on the watch for any attempts by the Einzberns or Tohsaka to counter him before the war began. The Matou were out of the question, being a pale shadow of their former self.

''What will you do now?'' Bram asked, studying his future brother in law curiously. Like all mages in the Clock Tower, he was studying Kayneth with the patience and interest of a snake. If Kayneth backed out of the war, then his alliance with the head of the Euryphis Department might be in question. By extension, his marriage with Sola-Ui might be called off as well.

''I will enter with what I can get. I already have agents looking for a suitable relic.'' the prospective Master slipped into a mask of composure and confidence, not wanting to appear weak in front of his future brother-in-law.

''I have no doubt you have good men working for you, but I have a proposition of my own.'' Bram smoothly put forward.

''Hmm? What are you proposing?'' Kayneth tried not to let his desperation show in his face.

''I have connections that would be able to secure something suitable for you.'' the red-haired man noted. It wasn't an unreasonable proposition. The Clock Tower had the greatest wealth of knowledge and relics in the world, along with abundant resources. He could indeed secure something suitable for Kayneth.

''I see. What would be the price for that?'' Kayneth questioned, suspicious of the red-haired man's intentions.

''It would cost you some political capital in the end, but it would be quicker and easier than your other ideas.'' Bram put forth.

The blonde-haired professor was silent, sipping his brandy again and stirring in his thoughts. It wasn't like he was unwilling to accept the offer, but he had thought himself the superior in the arrangement he had with the Sophia-Ri clan. After all, it was their daughter who was marrying into his family to save themselves from political and social difficulties. To be in the debt of Bram might change the nature of his relationship.

''If you are having trouble then think of it as a wedding gift to my future brother,'' Bram suggested, his lips curving into a charming smile.

Kayneth stared for a moment before making up his mind.

* * *

The agony was indescribable. A lesser man would have died months ago, but Kariya pushed on with steely determination. He had to endure for Sakura's sake, to free her from this pit, to correct the mistake had had unintentionally made. The devil's bargain he had made with Zouken would cost him his life, but he would make the most of what he had left.

Worms burrowed through his flesh, sending thunderbolts of agony through his body with every step. It was bad now, but it would get worse when he summoned a Servant, and the worms would go into overdrive. They would consume flesh to provide magical energy to his Servant. His Servant would be a death sentence, but the only question would be how long he would last to win the Grail for the Matou.

He didn't even know what hero he would summon. He had questioned Zouken once, but the old monster had laughed him off, not treating him seriously. He could already guess his so-called ''father'' had no expectations for Kariya's success and probably didn't expect much out of his Servant either. It was a bad joke to think of Zouken as his alleged ''father'' or even ''grandfather'' as he had rewritten the family registry on several occasions to cover up his unnatural lifespan. Kariya had understood the poor fiction of his family lineage at a young age, it being one of the factors that caused him to abandon the wretched and rotting Matou family.

He limped into the worm pits for another day of training. The Holy Grail War was approaching soon, in only a handful of days, and he was practically ready. The three Command Spells had appeared on his hand, reflecting his resolve to fight. Soon he would be able to free Sakura. He would make Rin, Aoi, and Sakura into a family again.

-And inflict his vengeance on a certain red-clad magus. The image of Tokiomi flashed through his mind. His hatred simmered in his heart for that man, the man who had gleefully embraced the life of a magus. He was the man who had sent Sakura to this place, the man who had forced Aoi to give up her child. Zouken was a monster, but Tokiomi was an example of how horrible the world of magic was.

 _I will wipe that smug look off your face_. Kariya thought. _I will kill you._ He promised.

The worm pits cast dark shadows over the slimy, ancient walls. Below in the darkness was a sea of Crest Worms, filthy disgusting creatures. Below there were multiple pits and breeding farms, containing what Zouken had considered the Matou magecraft. Here Kariya had spent the last year, suffering under what Zouken had cruelly called ''training''.

Then, as if the devil himself heard his thoughts, Zouken Matou emerged from the shadows.

'' I've finally found you, Kariya. I see you haven't run away right before the war might start.'' Zouken gave a dry, sadistic cackle at his insinuation of cowardice.

Kariya ignored him and stepped forward to face the withered monster of a magus.

''I'm almost ready. I'll win the Grail for you.'' the white-haired man promised.

''Oh yes, you will indeed fight as hard as you can.'' Zouken nodded, an odd smile on his face. The younger Matou frowned at that. It was not a friendly look.

''Hey, what about my Servant then?'' Kariya inquired then.

''What about it?'' Zouken wondered in a wistful tone. He was deliberately playing obtuse with Kariya. He knew what the younger Matou meant.

''My relic.'' Kariya gritted his teeth in frustration, watching as the old worm enjoyed his consternation.

''Oh yes. There was something like that. I secured a relic for you.'' the old worm turned around and strolled away, tapping his walking cane thoughtfully.

''What is it?'' the younger man asked in curiosity, despite already have a feeling he would dread the answer.

''Oh, something cheap I bought off a bargain on the black market. It's not something to get worked up about.'' The Matou patriarch cackled again.

Kariya's face turned disappointed. He knew enough about his twisted ancestor to know that Zouken would not go to any great expense to secure a great and famous hero to act as his Servant. He also knew that the more recent a hero was, the lesser known and weaker they would be when compared to heroes from the Age of the Gods.

In other words, Zouken had probably found the catalyst for some minor weak hero to saddle Kariya with, not putting any serious effort into winning the war. If this hero were some lesser spirit, than it was doubtful he would have high parameters or special abilities when compared to someone Tokiomi might summon.

With a sigh of despair, Kariya mustered up his determination and walked into the worm pit.

* * *

A hundred words of sincere praise could not do Tokiomi's Servant justice.

Barely an hour ago had they received the catalyst through the mail, Kirei's Assassin was on guard the entire time to make sure that the package would arrive without any complications. Then both Kirei and Risei had followed Tokiomi into his workshop to witness the miracle of a Servant summoning, the appearance of a Heroic Spirit from the distant past.

The catalyst was placed in the center of a circle of Tokiomi's finest gems. It was a small piece of ancient metal and wood that had been part of a bow in the ages past. Despite existing as a fragment, it still radiated a sense of power that could only come from the weapons of the gods. According to the information that Tokiomi had, this was the genuine artifact.

''We've won Kirei,'' Tokiomi whispered in a mixture of awe and happiness.

A majestic figure clad in radiant golden armor stood before the assembled men. He was a regal young man with a slender and thin body, but exhibiting all the power and grace of the sun with his posture and glare. He wore a black bodysuit under a set of divine golden armor that shone with the power of the sun. A cape of crimson flames unfurled from his back and shrouded him with blazing fire. Piercing blue eyes looked out of a handsome face with paper-white skin.

Tokiomi's Servant had come in a burst of fire and light, announcing his class as he did so.

''…How reckless to assume victory before the battle has even begun.'' The golden armored hero commented in a cold, apathetic voice.

''True, but you are Karna are you not?'' Tokiomi frowned at those words.

''That is correct. I am Karna, the son of Surya.'' Lancer nodded.

Honestly, Tokiomi felt confident of his victory. He summoned Heroic Spirit Karna, the great warrior of the Mahabharata and the legendary rival of Arjuna. He was a peerless warrior who possessed an invincible armor granted to him by his father and many divine weapons that he had gained under the sage Parashurama. He was only ever defeated by various curses and divine intervention. Truly he was a Heroic Spirit of the highest caliber.

But-

''I would have preferred to summon you as an Archer, not as a Lancer.'' Tokiomi sighed in disappointment. The legendary hero Karna was most famous as a legendary bowman with his weapon Vijaya. Karna not being summoned in what was probably his most optimal class was a setback in Tokiomi's plans.

At least he had summoned Karna into one of the three Knight Classes. That was what Tokiomi was aiming for, the three classes that generally would have the best parameters and abilities of the Servants. He was determined that the Tohsaka clan would have the privilege of hosting one of the three Knight classes.

''Hmph. Such a thing is true magus. You are correct in that it is my most optimal class. However, I am perfectly able to carry out this class's role.'' Lancer closed his eyes and replied.

That wasn't surprising either, Tokiomi reflected. Karna was noted in his legend to have mastered all weapons to perfection in his training under Parashurama. The sword, lance, bow and chariot had all been learned by this peerless warrior, so it wasn't surprising that Karna had the aptitude for multiple classes. More to the point, if he had been summoned as a Lancer, then a certain Noble Phantasm might still be used…

Indeed, he had it. Looking over his Servant's parameters and Noble Phantasms with his ''master's vision'' that had been granted to him by the Grail, Tokiomi was pleased. Lancer's abilities all being very powerful and of the highest ranks. However, despite his high strength, there was a certain problem with Lancer's Noble Phantasms that Tokiomi promptly took note of as the Second Owner of Fuyuki.

Stepping forward, he put forth his hand, showing off his Command Spells.

''I am Tokiomi Tohsaka, fifth-generation head of the Tohsaka Family. Do you accept me as your Master?'' he asked.

''O magus, you are indeed my Master,'' the golden spearman said in an aloof, almost bored tone. He meant it. Once Heroic Spirit Karna gave his word, it was unbreakable. Despite that, though, Tokiomi found his tone throughout the exchange to be rather irritating. It was like Lancer didn't care about anything at all.

''Then I order you not to use your offensive Noble Phantasms of widespread destruction without my permission. The former would cause catastrophic damage if used inside within the city limits and the latter is not something to be used lightly. I will enforce this order with a Command Spell if I have to.'' Tokiomi stated in a calm, commanding tone.

''That will not be necessary my lord. You are a man who takes his duties seriously. I will follow your orders.'' the golden spearman gave a nod of approval.

Tokiomi smiled, relieved that Lancer's destructive Noble Phantasms would not be employed without his express permission. As Second Owner, preserving the secret of magecraft was one of his principal duties. Such Noble Phantasms could only be deployed a safe distance from the city limits.

''Who is this? I believe him to be an enemy Master.'' Lancer's icy gaze shifted to Kirei, and the atmosphere in the room turned violent.

''Ah, yes. Kirei-kun is my ally. He is the Master of the Assassin. You need not be concerned about him. I trust him entirely.'' Tokiomi dismissed Lancer's concern with a wave of his hand. Kirei Kotomine is his valued pupil. He can't even begin to contemplate the idea of betrayal.

''I see.'' the Servant quietly said, his calm gaze remaining firmly on Kirei.

At least for Kirei Kotomine, seeing Lancer sparked something within him. The Servant spoke with a bored, apathetic tone, something not too dissimilar to himself. Could it be that Lancer had some emptiness within him like Kirei himself? It seemed like a ridiculous notion, seeing as Servants answered the Grail because they had a wish for their own. et Kirei himself was desperate enough to inquire to as what drove Lancer to defeat the emptiness in his own heart. He had been hoping that Kiritsugu Emiya might give him the answer that he required, but if it was possible that Lancer might be able to as well…

''Now, come with me Lancer, the Holy Grail War is about to begin, and I must give you your orders for the opening act.'' Tokiomi smiled as plans formed in his head.

* * *

''I am Servant Berserker. I ask of you good sir, are you my Master?'' the young man in front of Kariya politely inquired.

''Y-yes. I am your Master, Berserker.'' Kariya said in surprise at the figure before him. He had been expecting a screaming madman as his Servant, which was what the Berserker-class usually was due to the Mad Enhancement skill.

This figure before him was a blonde-haired youth, dressed in elegant Victorian clothes, a white dress shirt with an olive vest and black jacket with a red jewel in the front. He had a kind and gentle look on his face. He spoke politely and softly to Kariya. He didn't even give off the presence of the Servant at all! Kariya only even knew that he was a Servant due to the link they had established.

In short, he didn't seem like a Servant of any kind, much less a mad warrior like Berserker.

Before Berserker was the catalyst that Zouken had secured, a set of old faded notes and dirty beakers that might have been used in some chemical lab. Kariya had wondered what such strange looking objects might bring forth, but he had not expected this young man.

''Heh, how unimpressive a figure this boy is. Still, I shouldn't be surprised, considering his incapable Master. A weak Master for a poor Servant.'' Zouken gave a chuckle as Berserker frowned at the Matou patriarch's words. As he ignored the Servant, the old worm turned to Kariya.

''Well Kariya, go and fight with all you have as Berserker's Master! Remember that Sakura is counting on you!'' Zouken smirked and walked up the stairs into the darkness of the Matou household, leaving Master and Servant alone.

A moment of awkward silence had passed between the two before Berserker spoke.

''Master, do you have plans for the Holy Grail War? I am awaiting orders,'' he said, his green eyes looking over his Master's kneeling form on the ground.

''Who-what are you?'' Kariya asked.

''I beg your pardon?'' the blonde youth asked.

''You don't seem like a Servant, much less an insane Berserker. Zouken had me summon you as the mad Servant.'' Kariya questioned in a puzzled tone.

''Do you not know by identity? Did you not use my old notes to summon me?'' Berserker questioned him, glancing at his catalyst.

''No, Zouken picked it all out. He got something cheap and easy to get.'' Kariya informed him, curious as to who Berserker was.

''Oh, I see, so that's how I was summoned over other heroes…''Berserker trailed off for a moment before shaking his head and looking at Kariya.

''You would recognize me as Doctor Henry Jekyll.'' he introduced himself with the flourish of a gentleman.

''Jekyll? As in Jekyll and Hyde? I've heard about that story. I thought it was a novel.'' his Master questioned. Indeed he understood the basics behind the western novella published in the 19th century. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mister Hyde, the story of a kind, benevolent doctor and the split personality that was evil and destructive. That anguished character met only self-destruction after his attempts to control Hyde went out of hand. Given that legend, it wasn't too surprising that he had been summoned into the Berserker-class.

''There was a book written about my life, but fictionalized in many fundamental aspects by Stevenson. Rather I am the person that served as the model for that story.'' the blonde youth confirmed.

''Then what about your current condition?'' Kariya absorbed in the information for a bit. He thought it strange, but he didn't think too hard about it. At least he had a Servant after all.

''Only my other personality, Hyde is currently affected by Mad Enhancement, so that's why you see me as sane and composed.'' the youth went on to explain.

Kariya nodded, observing his Servant's parameters and skills with his own 'master's vision''. Apparently, Jekyll only achieved any strength with Hyde, but as a Servant, he was decidedly second-rate when compared to legends like King Arthur or Achilles. Kariya signed with disappointment, understanding what Zouken's cruel joke was, to saddle him with a minor hero from the last century. How was he supposed to have any chance of rescuing Sakura with this level of Servant?

Still, this Servant did have some positive aspects. Even when manifested like this, Berserker barely took any prana from Kariya, which was much better than Kariya had expected of a Berserker-class Servant. Indeed it was probably because Jekyll was almost powerless in exchange for being unable to be perceived as a Servant.

That and at least it seemed like Jekyll could hold a conversation. Kariya sighed and got up, limping his way up the stars.

''Let's go, Berserker, we've got a war to fight.'' He sighed.

* * *

Saber walked through the halls of the Einzbern castle, noting the elaborate decorations and the old-fashioned style. It was an elegant and beautiful home fit for royalty, but to Saber, it seemed empty and lifeless for some reasons. It seemed to him that this place had no heart.

Certainly, it wasn't like his castle at Camelot, the majestic and splendid fortress where the Knights of the Round gathered. People could say the King put aside his emotions to rule as a ''perfect machine'' yet even then there was the radiant aura of chivalry in his home.

With that thought in mind, he thought back to his Master, the dull-eyed man in the black coat. He recognized that look in his eyes, of tossing away his humanity to become that perfect machine. Though in this case, Kiritsugu Emiya had become a hired killer rather than a knight.

Saber almost wanted to laugh at being summoned by such a man. They were so similar and yet so utterly different. To be honest, Saber could understand why Kiritsugu Emiya had purposely avoided him so far. It was only natural for him to do so in that position.

He wandered into another section of the castle. This castle was the place he had been summoned in, the Einzbern chapel. It was another fanciful construction intended to embody the Einzbern's collective pride over the centuries. Standing underneath a stained glass window was a beautiful and radiant figure clad in a white winter coat.

His Master's wife had evidently been taking one last look around her home before she left.

An armored gauntlet touched her shoulder. She yelped in surprise at the sudden feeling.

''Ah, my apologies Lady Irisviel.'' Saber apologized with a slight smile.

''I thought Kiritsugu wanted you to remain in astral form.'' the homunculus questioned.

''I thought it no harm to greet you.'' Saber smiled at her.

''You shouldn't sneak up on people like that.'' Irisviel admonished him.

''Yes I shouldn't, but I couldn't help myself in this case.'' the blonde knight laughed.

Irisviel's face was flushed with embarrassment at Saber's teasing words.

''That's pretty childish of you.'' she fell back into a more serious tone of voice.

''Perhaps so, but could milady allow a knight a moment of indulgence?'' Saber replied good-naturedly.

Standing a head taller than Irisviel, Saber was a lean, robust young man with handsome features and the majestic aura of royalty. He was clad in silver armor woven from prana that was worn over dark blue robes that billowed behind him as he walked. With one armored hand, he pulled back the white hood that he had been wearing. One could only look at him and think of the archetypical ''prince charming'' as told in the stories.

They had summoned Arthur Pendragon, the legendary British King into the Saber-class, armed with the most powerful holy sword, Excalibur. From the very start, it was a logical decision on the part of the Einzberns. Regarding both fame and strength, King Arthur numbered among the very greatest of heroes. He would be the most excellent Saber-class Servant they could summon. So in their minds, the strongest Servant and the most powerful Master should win this war without trouble. But there were certain issues with that pairing, aside from Kiritsugu's misgivings.

There was certainly nothing that the Einzberns could complain about regarding raw strength, with Saber boasting excellent parameters and abilities typical of his class. However, Kiritsugu was perturbed to realize that Saber's Noble Phantasm, Excalibur: _Sword of Promised Victory_ , had some seals and restrictions on it. The EX-Rank Noble Phantasm had thirteen seals on it to restrict its power and prevent its misuse. Doubtlessly that sort of thing must have been immensely frustrating for the ever-pragmatic Kiritsugu.

After all, Kiritsugu has already been prepared to compromise and utilize Irisviel as a proxy Master between Saber and himself, due to the knight's sense of honor. The revelations about his Servant's Noble Phantasm had caused him to rework many of his plans that he had tried to set up. The feeling had seemingly been mutual on Saber's end.

Their only interaction after the summoning had been cold and clinical. Without showing any emotion or awe, Kiritsugu had bluntly and coldly told Saber of the role that was expected of him after introducing himself and Irisviel. After observing Saber's parameters and abilities, he had put forth that question to understand the full limits of Excalibur.

It was probably praiseworthy in itself that Kiritsugu bothered to speak directly to Saber and converse with him, even though there had been no affection or trust conveyed between the two parties.

''I suppose also I should get to know you as well, as my de facto Master.'' the blonde knight noted.

''Yes, I think that would be prudent. After all, you wouldn't be working with Kiritsugu.'' Irisviel thought it over.

''Yes, that man…'' Saber trailed off.

''He's pure-hearted at his core. You just don't see him at his best.'' Irisviel replied hurriedly, rushing to the defense of her husband.

''I suppose I can't hold grudges for no reason. As long as it won't impede my wish for the Grail, then I won't complain too much.'' Saber noted, walking back Irisviel with his hands folded behind his back and staring out at the windows.

''The Grail…'' Irisviel blinked, catching on to Saber's words.

Of course, Saber had a wish. That was the reason why the Heroic Spirits answered the call of the Holy Grail in the first place. Surely Saber was no exception to this. Of course Kiritsugu might not care about his tool's wish, but in this case, Irisviel thought it prudent to ask.

''Saber, if I might ask, what is your wish then?'' Irisviel put forth. It was a bit too forward of her, but at the same time needed to know Saber's motivations. After all, if his wish conflicted with Kiritsugu's, it might cause more conflict in the Einzbern faction.

''Huh? Oh, my wish…'' the blonde knight glanced at her before looking up at the ornate windows.

''I want to save Britain. To bring salvation to the kingdom that I failed.'' Saber told her.

Irisviel blinked at those words. It was certainly true that King Arthur's kingdom had fallen in the past due to treachery and civil strife, so it was only natural that he would wish to save it. However, she didn't understand exactly how he wanted it.

''Are you saying you'll use the Grail to redo your reign?'' Irisviel guessed.

At that Saber shook his head.

''No. I don't think that would solve anything. More to the point, I can't erase all those sacrifices that had been made. Rather I have another intention.'' the blonde knight paused and looked at Irisviel.

''I wish to use the Holy Grail to create an eternal paradise without suffering or evil. A place where the nation of Britain can be protected and maintained for all eternity.'' Saber stated.

Irisviel was speechless at that. That wish sounded so similar to Kiritsugu's wish of bringing peace to the word and eliminating all conflict. In this matter, Saber's wish wasn't too different from her husband's own. Such a wish would be only possible with the power of the Holy Grail.

The fundamental difference between Saber and her husband was that Kiritsugu had hope for the future in his eyes.

Saber only looked towards the past.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** Well there is it.

Initially, the concept for this grew out of ''What if Karna replaced Gilgamesh?'' as Tokiomi's Servant. I found the idea interesting. Both are very powerful golden-armored heroes, and yet both are quite the opposite regarding their personalities and legends. Gilgamesh is the man who has everything, and Karna is the man who gives things away.

From then on, I decided to replace some of the other Servants as well.

Lancer should be recognizable as the Lancer of Red from Fate Apocrypha.

Berserker is from Fate/Prototype Fragments. He also appears in Fate/ Grand Order as an Assassin-class Servant.

Assassin is from the same series as well.

Saber should be recognizable as Fate/Prototype's King Arthur.

The other Servants will be revealed in the following chapters.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** Here's the second Chapter.

ForteOfTheBallad98 helpfully edited this

* * *

 **Chapter Two**

The dark alley was filthy with the garbage and debris of society. Trash cans lined the walls and rats scurried in the shadows of the fading day. It wasn't any place a normal person would have liked to stay in. However, it suited Kariya's purposes enough. He had to be on the move, partially to prevent detection from enemy Masters and partly due to his hatred of Zouken.

Kariya sat down against a cold brick wall, taking a deep breath in an attempt to suppress the agony he felt from the crest worms moving through his body. Even if Berserker was barely taking any magical energy from him, it still was agonizing for Kariya, given how his flesh was being devoured minute by minute.

Berserker stood quietly and attentively over him. He hadn't spoken or done much, except to help Kariya move around in place of a pair of crutches. It was something that Kariya did appreciate, if only for the easier mobility. Right now Berserker's green eyes stared down at Kariya with a calm and inquisitive look on his face.

''Master,'' he spoke calmly.

''Yes?'' Kariya looked up with his one functional eye at his Servant.

''I feel I should be candid here. Even if I wasn't a trained medical professional, it's obvious to me that you only have a little time left to live. I don't know why you have those creatures inside of you.'' Berserker observed after a few moments.

''I'm not a magus, but even I can tell that those worms are filthy and disgusting creatures of the most twisted magecraft. I don't understand the issue between you and that old magus back at that house. If I may be candid, I find myself puzzled by your reasons for being in this war.'' the Servant continued.

Kariya sighed. How to even begin?

''I need these worms to give you prana when you fight. I have circuits, but I never trained them, so I had to have Zouken implant them in me to fight.'' Kariya explained.

''But why are you fighting? If you were healthy before, then for what possible purpose could you have for putting those things inside you? Even a wish for the Grail can't be worth it when you die soon after anyway?'' a puzzled Berserker asked him.

''It-it's a long story. I don't care about the Grail or the sick, horrible world of magecraft. I'm doing this for somebody else.'' the Matou master replied.

''Someone else?'' Berserker blinked.

Kariya paused for a moment, wondering if he should tell Berserker. He wasn't the type of person to go around spilling his issues to people. Interpersonal communication had never been one of Kariya's strong points. On the other hand, it wasn't like he had anything better to do at the moment, and it was quite a relief to talk to someone other than Zouken or his drunken brother Byakuya. He hadn't had many chances for conversation when he was sequestered in the worm pits.

''There's a girl named Sakura Matou. We aren't blood-related, but I'm trying to save her from Zouken…'' he began.

* * *

It was going to happen soon.

Kirei would direct his Servant Assassin to ''attack'' the Tohsaka mansion. Lancer would, of course, intercept her and defeat the intruder, thereby putting forth the deception to the other Masters that Assassin was an enemy to Tokiomi Tohsaka. Then Kirei Kotomine would take on the appearance of an enemy Master and allow his Assassin to operate in the shadows. Initially, the plan was to fake Assassin's death, but the Hassan of Serenity couldn't do that. Instead, the plan was adapted to expose Lancer's abilities.

However, there was one thing to do before he went to conduct his scouting role. He found himself intrigued somewhat by the golden-armored spearman's apathy. Not as much as the fascination he held for Kiritsugu Emiya, but his desperation to know some meaning drove him to investigate any and all possibilities. The cold and distant nature of Lancer reminded Kirei of himself. What desire did Lancer have? What drove him to answer the call of the Grail as all Heroic Spirits in the Grail War did? The hero Karna must have some wish.

He entered the hallways of the Tohsaka mansion as the sun dipped low over the horizon, casting great shadows over the landscape. The crimson rays of the sinking sun illustrated his cassock-clad form as he turned into the living room of Tokiomi's house. Having studied with the man for three years, he knew the place like the back of his hand. Tokiomi should be out, taking care of some last minute preparations for the upcoming events. If his guess was correct, then he should be free to confront the golden-armored Servant and get the answer he sought.

''Kirei Kotomine.'' a flat, apathetic voice sounded through the room.

Golden motes of light gathered to form a slender figure. The piercing blue eyes of Servant Lancer regarded Kirei with an unreadable expression, his plated arms folded over his pale chest, exposing only the blood-red jewel that was embedded in Lancer's flesh. It seemed strange to Kirei, but it was if the room suddenly rose in temperature.

''Lancer. I wish to speak with you.'' Kirei spoke.

''If you have questions about the upcoming plans, then you should direct them to my Master Tokiomi.'' the Servant replied.

''No, it's not about that,'' Kirei replied.

''Oh?'' Lancer cocked his head a little, though his expression did not change.

''I have a question for you Lancer.'' the priest pressed on.

''You are intensely curious about something. Very well, ask your question.'' Lancer sighed.

''What is your wish Lancer? Why have you answered the call of the Grail?'' Kirei questioned.

The great hero Karna had a tragic life that was almost absurdly unfair to an incredible degree. By rights he should have been the King of India, being born to the Princess Kunti and the Sun God Surya, but he had been abandoned by a mother who was fearful of having a child out of wedlock. His birthright was taken away from him; he was raised as a peasant until he felt the scorn of other people for his low caste. He fell in with the Kaurava clan and served the evil king Duryodhana. He suffered multiple curses and met a cruel fate after having his armor taken away from him and being treacherously killed by his half-brother Arjuna on the field of battle. Did he desire to become King? Or to perhaps avert his tragic fate? Both would have been very human responses.

''I have no wish,'' Lancer stated simply.

Kirei blinked, not quite processing the information. Had Lancer no wish? No desire for the Grail? It was absurd. Heroic Spirits answered the call of the Grail to fulfill some wish or desire. Even if he didn't have any desire for the Grail itself, one might have a wish to experience life in the modern world or find a powerful opponent to fight. It was so similar to Kirei, but he had a hard time comprehending it.

''You had such a terrible life. Don't you wish to become king? Or deliver victory to Duryodhana?'' Kirei pressed on, trying to see if there was anything more to Lancer's thought processes.

''No. Yudhishthira was the rightful king. I won't alter the fate that took place at Kurukshetra. That would be an insult to every warrior that fought and died in that conflict.'' Lancer shook his head.

Indeed. Didn't Lancer have a similar conversion with Lord Krishna right before the war? A conversation about whether to choose between his honor and his birthright? But if he accepted then how could he call himself the Hero of Charity?

Silence permeated the room for a moment before Lancer gave another sigh.

''I will say that I was happy to serve Duryodhana, even if Yudhishthira would have become king. I was able to repay my greatest friend for his kindness. However, at the same time, Dharma was able to triumph in the end.'' Lancer remarked.

''You don't even want to kill Arjuna?'' Kirei asked. Didn't he even desire revenge?

''If Arjuna were summoned into this war, then I would fight him as my lord commands, but that would just be a ''natural event'', something that would have been the same as my fate in life. I don't feel either way strongly about it.'' Lancer replied.

''Then why did you answer the Grail's call? If you have no desires or wants, then why leave the Throne?'' the priest pressed on.

''It's simple. It's because Tokiomi asked me and I responded to that request. I am the Hero of Charity who grants all requests and boons.'' the white-haired demigod replied without any hint of deception.

''Y-you just want to fulfill a request? Is that all you want?'' Kirei was incredulous.

''My only desire is to deliver the Grail to Tokiomi's hands. Nothing else matters.'' Lancer confirmed.

It was ridiculous. Nobody could be this selfless, except for perhaps those saints that Kirei had studied, but those men and women had a devotion to God to give them meaning. What did Lancer have? Was he that saintly and selfless?

Kirei had difficulty understanding it. He had thought and hoped that Lancer was like him, a machine moving on with a void in his heart and no enjoyment of anything. However, it appeared that Lancer wasn't as empty as much as he was perfectly content with everything he had in life. In short, Lancer was a man without negative feelings or doubt.

''Is this lone of questioning out of some curiosity about your ally's Servant?'' the golden spearman asked.

''…Yes.'' the priest said calmly.

''You are lying. There is something else.'' the golden spearman stated and then continued calmly, ''Do you have a desire for the Holy Grail?''

''No,'' Kirei muttered.

''That is the truth at least. You do not seek the Grail. You must find some other answer otherwise you would have never bothered to participate.'' the golden knight commented.

That shook Kirei, but what Lancer said next shook him more.

''You seek an answer because you are empty yourself,'' Lancer stated flatly.

''What?'' the priest blinked.

''You have a twisted heart. I can see it clearly as day. You don't derive pleasure from things like ordinary people. You want to understand why that occurred. That's why you focused on me.'' Lancer said in a cold and blunt tone.

''You know nothing of that. I am a man of God.'' Kirei tried to refute him.

''You are a man of God. But you are also a miserable existence without any meaning or purpose. Even if you embrace your God, you still are an evil existence.'' Lancer confirmed.

Kirei Kotomine couldn't speak. Lancer was exposing dark and uncomfortable truths that Kirei himself knew full well but kept that hidden behind his stoic mask. This trait was the Discernment of the Poor skill that Lancer possessed, a product of being raised in poverty that allowed him to see into the inner depths of the human character. The personality and emotions of Kirei Kotomine were as clear as day to Lancer, all his flaws and twisted soul laid bare before those cold and merciless eyes.

''O priest, you should not feel lost. Your answer is simple. Your existence was a natural event. Accept it and move on.'' the golden knight said bluntly.

It wasn't as if Lancer was trying to be cold and unfeeling. Beneath that golden armor was a gentle and kind soul, that didn't hold any hatred or jealousy for anyone. The great hero Karna was truly a generous and saintly person who held kindness and empathy for all. Unfortunately, he also held absolutely no social tact or understanding of interpersonal communication. Thus he exposed all the uncomfortable inner truths that a person had without restraint or hesitation.

In other words, his insights will always come across as cold and uncaring criticism.

He understood and empathized with Kirei's plight, but his words had the exact opposite effect.

''This conversation is over,'' Kirei said, his stoic mask broken as he turned around and walked out stiffly, without hearing the spearman's reply.

This conversation with Lancer had not gone as planned. Instead of hopefully trying to find some answer to his personal dilemma, he had the inner truths of his soul brutally shoved in his face. All the truths that he had suppressed. Truths that he chose to ignore in his pursuit of some answer. The apathetic and accusing words of Lancer bothered Kirei more than any confession to God ever could.

He walked into the Fuyuki streets as the last rays of sunlight disappeared over the horizon, casting the black pall of night over the city. If anything he was more troubled than before.

* * *

In the end, he gave an abridged version of his motivation.

Kariya explained what a monster Zouken was. Who Sakura Tohsaka was and why he cared about her. What exactly Tokiomi Tohsaka had done in giving away his daughter. Then he described what Sakura's so-called "training" actually involved. Then he finished off by explaining the devil's bargain he had made with Zouken to rescue Sakura.

''I know I won't survive this war, but I just need to last long enough to give Zouken the Grail and free Sakura.'' Kariya coughed up some blood at the end of that. He looked up to see Berserker.

The Servant was trembling with outrage.

''Master, I beg of you to let me go and kill that monster myself. Something evil like that must die.'' Berserker said with resolution, pulling out a strange, ornate-looking bottle as he did so.

''No-'' Kariya responded quickly and then coughed some more. At the look of confusion on Berserker's face, he spoke again.

"-Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to watch you rip that bastard from limb to limb, but these are his worms inside me. If you go after him, he'll kill me, and you'll disappear from lack of prana.'' Kariya noted bitterly.

''That and the old bastard isn't human anymore. If I thought I could kill the Zouken by stabbing him in the heart or shooting him with a gun, I would have done so a long time ago.'' the white-haired Master contemplated.

Kariya barely understood magecraft in general, much less the specifics of Zouken's immortality. He did know that Zouken was a collection of insects, a monster that had transmitted his consciousness into a swarm of bugs. If mere physical weapons could kill Zouken, then Kariya would have tried long ago.

Berserker looked him over and put away his strange bottle before sighing and sitting down next to Kariya.

''I see, so we would have to fight then?'' he asked.

''Yeah,'' Kariya noted with resignation.

''I understand. That's what I expected when I answered the summoning in the first place.'' Berserker pointed out in a soft tone.

Kariya turned to look at the blonde-haired youth in faint curiosity. It didn't matter what his Servant wanted as long as Sakura was freed, but out of boredom, he supposed he should at least ask his Servant what he wanted from the Grail.

''Well, why did you answer the call then?'' his Master asked.

Berserker paused again, a thoughtful look in his green eyes.

''I wanted to be a Hero of Justice.'' he said finally.

''A Hero of Justice?'' Kariya asked, a tad incredulous. It was the sort of corny line spotted by native schoolchildren.

''Yes, in my lifetime I was troubled by evil. It seemed to me that malevolence too easily stains humans.'' Berserker began,

"All people possess both good and evil aspects. I wished to eradicate evil from the human persona. So I tried to create a drug to remove evil.'' the blonde-haired man continued.

''That didn't work out.'' Kariya guessed, knowing about Berserker's legend. It was his Noble Phantasm, Dangerous Game: _Secret Game of Crime._

''It was the worst mistake of my life. It was the drug that created the other part of me, Mr. Hyde. He was an evil and twisted monster who only wished to indulge in violence and carnage.'' Berserker nodded.

''At first, I thought I could suppress that side of myself. But I couldn't control him. Hyde started with petty crime and fights at first. Then he moved on to murder, beating my dear friend to death in a fit of mad rage.'' Berserker's eyes flashed with sadness.

''In the end, the lines separating us were growing thinner, and Hyde was taking over. Eventually, I only faced madness and self-destruction.'' the blonde-haired man sighed.

''After death, on the Throne, I had wondered about myself. Was I a good man or a madman? I wanted a second chance to fight for justice and defeat evil.'' Berserker finished.

Kariya didn't know what to say at first. Berserker's proclamation sounded so…cheesy and idealistic it was hard for the skeptical side of Kariya to take seriously at first. However, the other part of him admitted it would be rather hypocritical of him to criticize Berserker when Kariya himself was essentially committing suicide to save someone.

They remained like that in the alleyway as night fell over the city.

* * *

The pale moonlight shone down upon the Tohsaka gardens, illuminating the stately house. Atop the roof was Lancer in spiritual form, guarding the mansion for the inevitable approach of enemy Servants and Masters who would soon come to challenge the Tohsaka during the Holy Grail War. From this vantage point, Lancer had an excellent view of the surrounding area from the top of the roof. Soon Assassin would approach.

In their initial plans, Tokiomi and Kirei had always intended to appear as enemies but act as secret allies. One of the first ideas that they had developed was to trick the other Masters by faking Assassin's death. However, the Assassin that Kirei summoned couldn't fake her death in a convincing matter, thus forcing Tokiomi and Kirei to change their plans according to Lancer's abilities.

Lancer had conducted a patrol around the Tohsaka mansion in full physical form, exposing his presence to any observing Masters. Doubtlessly the enemy Masters had familiars observing the Tohsaka house. It may have seemed an odd request, but Lancer obeyed Tokiomi's orders without question. That was his personality, receiving all orders like an obedient soldier. In truth, this was part of Tokiomi's strategy. Lancer possessed a particular ability called "Uncrowned Arms Mastership'' that made certain abilities and skills appear weaker to observing Masters who did not know his actual name. This was the intention behind Tokiomi's orders. Lancer would present himself and appear more vulnerable than he was, thus setting up a trap for enemy Servants who thought they could gain an easy victory.

Kirei and Assassin had departed shortly before to conduct their objectives. The golden hero felt troubled by the fact that Kirei Kotomine had reacted poorly to his words. It wasn't altogether unexpected, as he knew from personal experience. However the man seemed to come to him for help, and in truth Lancer emphasized with his plight.

To Lancer, with his "Discernment of the Poor" ability, Kirei Kotomine was like an open book. He saw the empty nature of the man who took no joy in the duties he performed. He saw the twisted and distorted view of one who enjoys evil and suffering. He saw the aspect of a troubled priest who genuinely did believe in God, but could not find his faith to be satisfying at all.

He didn't know how Kirei would react after his stark analysis of the priest. If he turned into a danger to his Master, then Lancer wouldn't hesitate to strike him down.

He had seen Tokiomi Tohsaka's true self as well. He saw the elegance and composed inner self of Tokiomi, the part of him that was an archetypical magus. He saw the part of him that was a kind and caring father to his family. He also understood the part of him that held some personal regret, although Lancer didn't know the specifics of that.

Tokiomi Tohsaka wasn't a terribly complicated man. At his very core, he was a magus who wanted to gain the Grail and bring glory to his bloodline. Procedure and tradition were important to Tokiomi. In short, he was a man who put himself as a magus before being a human being. It wasn't the choice that Lancer would have made, but it was one way to live your life and Lancer respected that.

Really, in regards to his Master, Lancer felt that he was the luckiest Heroic Spirit in this war. After all, hasn't his Master placed immense trust in him to achieve victory? Hasn't he been entrusted with powerful divine Noble Phantasms? Heroic Spirit Karna couldn't feel any reason to be depressed about things.

His thoughts turned to the Holy Grail War.

As an assembly of heroes and warriors from across history, it would be a rare once in a lifetime event. Lancer felt blessed and lucky to be able to take part of this. He was a consummate warrior who dedicated himself to warfare and martial arts. With fortune, he would meet a powerful opponent. Perhaps even his brothers might be summoned…

His thoughts were interrupted by the approach of dirks fired into the air.

White-bladed bullets suddenly fired through the air. Having been built with prana and hurled with superhuman skill, they were the weapons of a Servant. Each one of them was a sure-hit kill against an ordinary human. However, against a Servant, they were nothing more than an inconvenient barrage. With one hand, Lancer summoned forth his spear and deflected him.

Perched on the top of the Tohsaka household, he held a massive and ornate golden lance. It was a beautiful and masterfully constructed weapon that no human could wield effectively. Undoubtedly it was a Noble Phantasm of a Heroic Spirit.

Lancer cast his gaze out into the night.

''I see you tried to launch a preemptive attack while my back was turned,'' Lancer spoke coldly.

Before him in the darkness, a single white skull mask appeared, illuminated by the pale moonlight. Nothing else could be seen. In reply to Lancer, a young girl's voice issued forth.

''I see you deflected my dirks. I suppose you must be proud of that achievement.'' Assassin spoke mockingly from the shadows.

''Pride? What a strange thing to speak of Assassin.'' the golden spearman remarked.

''Eh?'' the white skull mask tilted quizzically.

''You who talk of pride. It's strange for such a lonely woman to utter those sentiments. Don't you hate your existence?'' Lancer asked her without emotion.

''Lancer you-'' the white skull began to tremble in irritation.

''Didn't you sacrifice everything for your religious beliefs? Then why do you regret what you have?'' Lancer questioned her. He understood this woman by judging her words and actions. With his insight, he could see into her true inner self.

''Well then, why don't I show you my so-called pride then?'' the white mask froze suddenly, her tone taking on a hint of hostility. Killing intent filled the air as she dropped her Class Skill of Presence Concealment to launch her attack on Lancer.

Moving through the Bounded Fields of the Tohsaka mansion with great grace, Assassin raised a white-bladed dirk and prepared for a killing blow against Lancer. Her speed caused her to disappear from human sight as she made her attack run. Even now, Assassin is faster than Lancer in the quick burst.

Of course, this entire thing is just a farce.

Even putting aside Lancer's golden armor Noble Phantasm and overwhelming abilities, Assassin had been instructed to carry out a fake attack on Lancer, just to demonstrate his abilities to the eyes of any prying Master. Also, it was to put forth the appearance of being hostile to any observing Masters.

Even understanding that her attack would fail, Assassin carried out this attack with indignation in her heart from Lancer's blunt and inconsiderate words.

There was a flash in the moonlight and Assassin's severed hand fell to the ground along with her mask.

On the other part of the Tohsaka garden Assassin landed from her collision with Lancer. Dagger met lance, and she was disarmed with excellent skill. Her scream of pain echoed through the night as blood spurted from her wrist.

In their brief exchange Assassin's attack had failed badly and Lancer's splendid counterattack had injured her. Of course, even then Lancer had been holding back in his attack. Had he wanted to, he could have thrust through and destroyed her heart and lungs in one blow, or incinerated her with his Prana Burst.

In other words, Lancer had spared her life.

Cursing in her native language, Assassin fled into the nearby trees, engaging her Presence Concealment once again. With one hand he covered her face in pain and humiliation. In retreat, she surpassed even Lancer's speed.

With impassive eyes, Lancer watched her leave before he turned into spiritual form and walked away. True, it was a grievous wound. However, for a Heroic Spirit, such a thing could be healed from given enough time and prana. As long as he did not strike her spiritual core, nothing was beyond a Servant's healing ability. Assassin should be fully healed within a night or two.

* * *

Saber looked out in the cityscape, adjusting the collar of his black suit. Irisviel had purchased it for him and insisted he put it on, saying that it made him look dashing. Even if the Grail had provided him with information on modern clothing, he wasn't exactly a fashion expert. He looked over at Irisviel who was looking quite enchanting in a snow-white outfit that complimented her hair perfectly.

The great city of Fuyuki surrounded him, a sea of bright lights stretching for miles around. This was the metropolis that would host the Grail War, he realized. There would undoubtedly be heavy combat coming up soon, but at the same time, Saber resolved to try and limit the damage to the innocent civilians as much as he could.

 _The people of today should not have to suffer for this battle,_ he thought.

''It's an incredible view isn't it Saber?'' Irisviel's voice interrupted his thoughts. She was standing right next to him, and they were both strolling alongside the walkway of an empty park.

''What? Oh yes. I suppose it is.'' the knight replied absentmindedly.

''Saber aren't you paying attention?'' Irisviel pouted in annoyance at his apparent daydreaming. She had been so excited about seeing the new sights and sounds outside of the Einzbern fortress. She was somewhat disappointed at Saber not being similarly in awe.

''I'm sorry, I had such an incredible sight next to me.'' Saber grinned. Apart from that being a pretty terrible line, it wasn't entirely accurate either.

''Y-you can't say such things to a married woman.'' Irisviel blinked her crimson eyes, sputtering a bit.

The blonde knight could only smile at her response.

''I suppose I should be afraid of your husband then, given his power over me.'' he mused.

Whatever response Irisviel had to Saber's wry comment was disrupted by a shot in the dark.

It was Saber's Instinct that provoked him to a response, not his eyes. In a flash, he picked up Irisviel and jumped out of the way of the arrow that hit the concrete below them like a hand grenade. The blonde knight leaped into the air as chips of concrete sprayed below from the impact of the arrow that had been fired. Equally as quick, he set down Irisviel and equipped himself.

Gone was the black suit he wore. Instead, it was replaced by a suit of polished silver armor and navy blue robes. The hood of his outfit billowed back as he clutched an invisible blade in a faintly shimmering sheath of wind. Green eyes scanned the night horizon for any hint where the arrows came.

There was another faint whistling as more arrows came.

The invisible blade cut through the air, again and again, to intercept the arrows before they hit either himself or Irisviel. Even if she wasn't his true Master, he felt honor-bound to protect her as a knight would for a lady.

Despite being an experienced warrior who fought in many battles over his life, even Saber couldn't tell where the arrows were coming. Indeed, these arrows were fired from several kilometers away from some high vantage point. It might be the bridge over the Mion River or perhaps one of the skyscrapers in the business district. It was hard to tell from here.

The attacker was obviously Archer. There could be only one Servant who was capable of this long-range sniping and who utilized a bow to fight. It was accurate shooting that far surpassed anything a human was capable of in this modern day and age. Each volley of arrows exceeded the speed of sound.

The air whistled again, and steel arrowheads flashed in the gleaming moonlight.

More arrows come this time. Whereas before Archer had fired only a few arrows with a significant pause between them, this time he had ramped up the rate of his attacks, shooting arrows like a machine gun at Saber in a constant rain of arrow shots. With the superhuman speed, only a Servant could display, Saber, repelled each and every one of them.

On occasion, some arrows were directed at Irisviel, but most of them were shooting at Saber himself. That wasn't too surprising, seeing as he was clearly the greater threat on the battlefield, but here it seemed like Archer was attempting to control his movements by targeting his fake Master as well.

He might have considered trying to go and seek out Archer before using his Prana Burst to close the gap. However, he didn't know where Archer was, and if he moved, he risked Irisviel getting shot. Even if she weren't his real Master, he wouldn't forgive himself for letting a gentle and kind woman like Irisviel die because of him.

So he stood on the defensive for the moment.

Meanwhile, Irisviel could only stand behind him; hands clasped before her in a mixture of both concern and fear. Even if she wasn't a real Master, she felt so helpless and vulnerable like this, knowing that death was only a single shot away. The only thing preventing her from being skewered was the fact that Saber was currently acting as her shield. She can't even follow the arrow shots until after they had impacted the ground.

Even so, she can't help but be entranced by Saber's form. Green eyes set in determination, hair, and robes billowing with the winds from his blade, and his silver armor gleaming in the faint moonlight, he looks very much like a knight out of some fairy tale.

Then as fast as they came, the arrows stopped.

The long-range archery that had been assailing Saber ceased and then there was just silence in the night, punctuated by Irisviel's breathing and the night wind. Minutes ticked by until Saber dismissed his invisible sword and silver armor and changed back to his black suit, satisfied that the danger had passed for the moment.

''Saber?'' Irisviel spoke, apprehensive about the situation.

''I think Archer's stopped for now. I don't feel anything with my Instinct.'' Saber confirmed.

He turned to walk over to Irisviel.

''Are you alright milady?'' he asked.

''I-I'm fine,'' she confirmed. There wasn't a single wound on her.

''Oh, I'm relieved. I don't know if I could forgive myself if something happened to you.' Saber smiled kindly.

''You don't need to worry.'' Irisviel put on a fake smile. There was something that would happen to her as Saber cut down more Servants in this war. Her life was forfeit. But she didn't want Saber to know that. She didn't want that kind smile to disappear in front of her.

* * *

Over five kilometers away, on top of a half-constructed office building, Archer sighed and put away his ash-carved bow. As he did so he held up two fingers visualizing the length and shape of the sword that Saber carried underneath that invisible sheath of wind. It wasn't hard to put together the calculations needed to figure out the exact length and weight of the sword the enemy Servant held.

That had been Archer's aim from the start. He had spotted Saber and decided to ambush him. As he did so, he noticed the invisible sword that Saber carried and adjusted his shots accordingly to try and figure out what Saber's invisible sword was. By firing at different speeds and angles it was easy for him to gauge Saber's reactions and zone of defense. By using his ''special move'' that the god Apollo taught him, he could force Saber into a defensive stance.

It wasn't hard for him at all to see that. With his Clairvoyance skill, he would easily make out the buttons on the coat that Saber's master wore, or observe the details on Saber's silver armor. For Archer who possessed wisdom and insight second to none among the Servants, it was easy to read Saber's fighting style and abilities.

He was a tall, handsome man, with shoulder length brown hair and calm, kind features. He wore an archaic breastplate and greaves of an archaic Greek style over a fine tunic. Oddly enough, a horse's tail protruded from his back waist. Despite that, he had the presence and aura of a kind and calm gentleman.

''Did you catch that?'' Archer spoke out loud to no one in particular.

 _Yes, I did._ His Master, Kayneth Archibald replied over their telepathic link.

 _Strength is A, Endurance is A, Agility is B… the only thing subpar about him is the Luck parameter. Truly he's the Saber class of this war._ The magus mused.

''Yes, I also was able to discern the length of his blade and his swordsmanship,'' Archer noted confidently. Kayneth gave him a murmur of confusion.

 _Why did you not use your Noble Phantasm on him? It's possible you might have killed him or failing that, his Master._ Kayneth accused him, the very hint of suspicion in his voice.

Archer paused, trying to put it diplomatically.

''My Noble Phantasm is something that can only be used once per night. It better be a sure-kill when it's used. Otherwise, it would be a wasted effort and might leave me vulnerable to a counterattack. It might have killed Saber, but he has a robust body, and he might have survived the shot,'' Archer explained calmly.

Back at the Fuyuki Hyatt Hotel room, Kayneth had the look of a man who had swallowed something sour on his face. He didn't like being challenged or refuted. He wasn't used to such things, especially from someone who he considered merely a tool for his glory. At yet he couldn't stay angry or irritated at Archer. His logic was impeccable and reasonable.

That and Kayneth had to admit that Archer's judgment exceeded his own on this matter. He could not argue with it. It wasn't surprising, though, given who Archer was. As the greatest sage in Greek mythology, he had wisdom and insight that greatly surpassed what even the finest professor at the Clock Tower had to offer.

Archer's true identity was Chiron, the Centaur teacher who had taught great heroes like Heracles, Ajax, and Achilles. Many notable heroes and warriors had blossomed under his teachings as he had received wisdom from the Greek Gods themselves. Normally he shouldn't have been a being that could be summoned by the Holy Grail, being originally a Divine Spirit who obtained immortality from his parents. But he famously gave up that immortality and died as a mortal, thus reducing him to the rank of a Heroic Spirit that could be summoned.

At first, Kayneth had been surprised by the figure he had brought forth using an ancient harp that had been taken from the Clock Tower's archives. Calmly, though, Archer confirmed that he was indeed Chiron, but he had taken the form of a human to disguise himself properly. There were after only a few famous Centaurs in mythology.

As far as Servants went, Archer was first-rate in almost every aspect. He had excellent parameters and abilities. The only real flaw he held was the fact that his Noble Phantasm, Antares Snipe: _Heavenly Scorpion Shot,_ lacked the sort of wide-range destructive ability that an Anti-Army or Anti-Fortress Noble Phantasm might have. It was a long-range, powerful sniping ability that could be only used once a night, so put into the current context, Archer's reasoning was quite sound. It would be too rash to use it in the first skirmish of the war.

Kayneth found it hard to argue with Archer's reasoning. When he had first summoned Archer, he had thought to boldly go forth and confront the other Masters face to face in direct combat, as befitting a magus of his rank. , Archer had proven to be…persuasive.

He had constructed such excellent and high-quality defenses, Archer told him. It would be only suitable for a magus of his breeding and caliber to take comfort behind those defenses while Archer scouted out the enemy to observe their strength and weaknesses in a series of skirmishes. With the Independent Action skill, Archer functioned very well as a long-range scout.

After all, Archer calmly pointed out, only some of the Masters in this war would be of the pedigree to fight Kayneth and bring him glory. It wouldn't be impressive at all to go out gallivanting to crush some third-rate local magus from this area. In that reasoning, Archer was probably right. Apart from the Three Families of the Beginning, the ranks would be filled with anyone suitable. As the Association's representative, Kayneth knew he had filled that slot. Therefore the remaining three Masters would probably just be Oriental trash that could be disposed of at leisure.

At this point, Kayneth could only sigh and acknowledge the wisdom behind Archer's words. After all, shouldn't he sit behind his defenses until the playing field had been properly cleared so he could conduct honorable duels? From the safety of the Fuyuki Hyatt, he could watch battles through Archer's eyes using the sensory-sharing magecraft that Masters so often employed.

 _I see. I'll leave the rest of the night to you Archer,_ Kayneth said finally before ending their link.

Archer sensed him go before becoming lost in his thoughts…

Archer was a great sage with deep intelligence and insight. He had dealt with many people over his life, Gods, mortals and heroes. This gave him an excellent insight into the personalities and motivations of humans in particular. It wasn't the ''Discernment of the Poor'' skill that Lancer had obtained from living in poverty, but rather sound wisdom and judgment.

Archer understood who Kayneth was. He is a cruel and arrogant man, assured in his abilities and dedicated to the pursuit and excellence of magecraft. Kayneth is the typical magus, cold and arrogant. He had entered the war in search of self-aggrandizing glory. It was plain to see that he wasn't a man used to dealing with women, as Archer had observed from his interactions with Lady Sola-Ui. He is a man in a loveless marriage arrangement and did not realize that his fiancée would never love him.

In short, he was not the Master that Heroic Spirit Chiron would have preferred.

So Archer approached this as delicately as he could. Trying to frame his advice and plans as Kayneth's ideas, appealing to his sense of pride and pedigree, making it seem like this would be the best route to achieving the series of honorable duels that Kayneth had desired.

Yes, in all Archer would have preferred someone else as his Master. However, Archer would put up with the Lord E-Melloi and tread as carefully as he could around the prideful and egotistical magus to fulfill his goals and objectives. He would gain the Grail and make that selfish, prideful wish to regain what he had lost.

His lost immortality.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

The Archer-class Servant should be easily recognizable as the Archer of Black from Fate Apocrypha.

Writing the bits between Karna and Kirei was tough for me. I hope I kept everyone in character.

Fur those curious, Proto-Saber's stats under Kiritsugu are as is. It's his parameters from Fragments with the Endurance parameter reduced from A+ to A due to Kiritsugu being unable to quite max out Saber's physical abilities like Manaka.

Strength: A  
Endurance: A  
Agility: B  
Magic: A  
Luck: D  
Noble Phantasm: C (EX)


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** Here's Chapter 3.

This was beta'd and edited by ForteoftheBallad98, so thanks to him.

* * *

 **Of Relics and Men-Chapter 3**

Berserker stood outside of the Matou house deep in thought.

He had gone to observe Sakura Matou herself. Moving to her room in spirit form, he noted the slight form of the young girl. He looked into her eyes and saw the despair and hopelessness that were present. It was the look of a human who had given up on life. Only then did he understand the nature of the worms that were present in his summoning room. Those twisted, disgusting things were horrific creatures of the foulest magecraft. Berserker wanted to drink his elixir and slaughter Zouken Matou in the most violent manner possible.

But that would do no good if Kariya's information was correct. The old man was an inhuman existence close to that of a vampire. Berserker believed that all humans had both good and evil present in them to varying degrees, yet it seemed to him that Zouken Matou was the closest example of pure evil he could find.

 _Who gives a shit about the little brat?_ A voice seemed to interrupt at the back of his mind. It was a voice that was all too familiar to him.

Of course, his other personality had no tolerance for Kariya or his niece. Mr. Hyde respected only strength and violence. He did not care one whit of what was happening inside the Matou House. His split personality only wanted to run wild.

 _Quiet,_ he mentally told himself.

 _Oi, mate! Do you think you will be free of me?_ The other voice seemed to whisper in the back of Berserker's mind. He ignored it like he had done many times before. He strolled through the front gardens of the Matou house, rubbing his chin.

Then he paused as he detected the familiar presence of a Servant nearby. Quickly moving behind a set of garbage dumpsters, Berserker looked out into the street.

There was a figure who appeared briefly, a blond-haired man in a black suit. He looked around the Matou mansion for a bit before turning around and leaving in disappointment. After that Berserker got up.

That man had to be a Servant.

The Miyama district of Fuyuki is currently quiet. The night had only fallen recently, and a cold chill fills the air from the cold February weather. Waver Velvet is miserable in the weather, shivering a bit through his olive sweater. Rider at least didn't seem to be bothered at all.

''Come on boy! Let us venture forth into the battlefield!'' the massive red-headed king grinned as he summoned the Gordius Wheel. No matter what happened, it seemed that Rider's enthusiasm was undeterred.

As irritating as Rider was, at least Waver was confident of his strength. Rider's true identity was Alexander the Great, the great Macedonian king and conqueror who had seized the largest empire of the world for himself. Undoubtedly he was a famous and powerful Heroic Spirit whose name was forever carved in history. No wonder why his old teacher Kayneth had wanted to summon him as his Servant.

It had been two days since Rider's summoning and so far Waver had seen no action, other than Assassin getting repelled and Saber deflecting some arrows. His familiars had spotted the brief skirmish between Saber and Archer, and he had witnessed it, although nothing major had happened.

On the one hand, he had been awed by the physical power and strength of the Servants. On the other, he had been disappointed that nothing significant had occurred. How else was he supposed to prove his ability as a magus and his unquestionable genius over all those jerks who mocked him? Rider had hardly been a help either.

''Eh boy?'' Rider's voice interrupted his thoughts.

''W-what?'' he sniffled, wondering what Rider wanted.

Currently, they were traveling through the streets of Miyama, the populace having closed their doors for the night. For all his boisterous and overbearing nature, Rider showed enough tact to avoid any innocent bystanders.

''How about we go and confront some Servants?'' Rider grinned at him.

''You mean fight?'' Waver questioned.

That earned him a playful flick on the head, obviously not at Rider's full strength. Had he not been careful, even Rider's flicks would have ripped off Waver's head.

''Wah! Rider!''

''Narrow-minded! Don't answer all problems with violence. You should offer negotiations and surrender before fighting,'' Rider lectured.

 _Don't answer with violence? Isn't this entire thing a deathmatch?_ Waver wondered to himself.

''Since nobody had decided to take the initiative so far, I, Rider shall do so. We will first visit the Matou house and extend an offer to them. Then we shall go to the Tohsaka family we'll do the same. Then we shall see the Einzbern family and have them join my glorious army!'' Rider's deep laughter filled the night as he drove the Gordius Wheel on to its destination.

That is the way of the King of Conquerors. Lesser minds may mock Iskandar, but those are the sort of people who don't become Heroic Spirits. Conquest without humiliation. Rider would extend the hand of friendship to all those heroes who had been summoned in the Holy Grail War. He would be excited and honored to have those great heroes join his army.

If they refused, well…he would just have to demonstrate the military prowess that made his famous.

* * *

Kirei Kotomine sat quietly in the basement of the abandoned warehouse. Candlelight flickered faintly in the darkness, illuminating his stoic features. He rested his hands in his lap, thinking about the events of last night and Lancer's sharp words to him.

He had hoped that Lancer would have some insight into an answer. He had wondered if Lancer too had a similar emptiness and wondered what motivated such a man. However, he had been cruelly disappointed on both. Lancer wasn't empty. In fact, he was a selfless saint, the very opposite of what Kirei had expected. It seemed a cruel joke to encounter someone like that.

He had spent his life trying to be the good and moral man that his father wanted him to be. From excellent grades at Manresa's St. Ignacio's to becoming one of the best Executors that the Church had to offer, he had lived his life how others had wanted him to live it. He had tried to become that good saintly man, the same type of person that Lancer had become so effortlessly.

The words of the golden-armored Servant rang in his ears like mockery. Kirei Kotomine usually didn't feel strong emotions about anything, but within his chest burned the embers of resentment towards Lancer who had exposed those inner secrets.

He wanted to shout and deny it. He wanted to ignore and bury it as he had done for all his life. He wanted to rationalize that Lancer was just cruelly lying to him. But he knew all of those reasons weren't true at all. As a Master and Tokiomi's ally, he had been privy to the abilities of Lancer. Using his ''Master's vision,'' he was well aware of the ''Discernment of the Poor,'' ability that Lancer possessed. The eyes of the golden knight could discern any truth and see through any falsehood.

Conflicting emotion swirled inside Kirei as he stewed in despair. _He was a good man_ , he thought mechanically, reciting the mantra he had repeated when he was young. There didn't seem any hope at all to him for his situation.

Why had he been chosen for the Grail? If he did have an evil and twisted existence like Lancer had so bluntly stated, then what was his purpose in this Holy Grail War? Why did Lancer so coldly put forth the idea that this accursed existence was a natural part of God's plan?

 _He had to find Kiritsugu,_ he told himself. At this point, he only had a single hope, and he had to pursue that. Kirei had to marshal his determination and ignore the rude words of Lancer who had so cruelly disillusioned him. Kiritsugu Emiya was an empty machine just like him. That ruthless killer had to have the answer that Kirei sought.

Otherwise, Kirei feared deeply that, without any hope, he might only face a future of despair.

His thoughts were interrupted by the Master-Servant link between him and Assassin. She greeted him urgently.

''What is it?'' Kirei said with a bit more force than he intended.

 _Master, I have detected the approach of an enemy Servant is coming towards Tokiomi Tohsaka's residence,_ she reported calmly.

Kirei accessed the shared perception magecraft to see what Assassin was seeing. Currently, she was hidden in the shadows of the rooftops, concealing her presence as she followed the Servant towards Tokiomi's base of operations.

Through her eyes, Kirei saw a tall, robust man clad in silver armor moving through the streets.

''Is that Saber?''

* * *

The moonlight illuminated the windows of the Tohsaka house, giving it a peaceful and serene quality to it that would soon contrast against the future violence. Before the house, a figure moved up the winding path. It was a majestic figure, clad in silver armor, moving forward at the kind of superhuman speed no regular runner could achieve. An invisible blade of air was clutched in his hands, and a determined look filled those green eyes as Saber approached the Tohsaka residence.

It was simple reasoning why Saber was attacking the Tohsaka house. The chief disadvantages of the Three Great Families in the Holy Grail War are that everyone knows where they live. In return for being guaranteed spots in the Master roster, one could say this is the compensation obtained by the outsider Masters. Saber had sought to enter into combat with the other Servants. The inconclusive skirmish with Archer was not decisive at all. His preferred course of action was to confront the other Servants head-on and defeat them so that this bloody contest might be over as soon as possible.

He had already checked the Matou house in Miyama, but he couldn't detect any Servants nearby. He served the Einzbern Master. He didn't know where the other four Masters had made their bases. So logically that left only the Tohsaka and the Lancer that they had summoned. Kiritsugu hadn't been helpful with his orders other than to remark that a Servant had appeared at the Tohsaka house.

It was despicable behavior that Kiritsugu didn't have any trust or regard in his Servant. Saber could simmer at the perceived insult, but in other ways, he was glad, as it gave him de facto permission to operate independently. So he made a choice to go out and find a battle rather than sitting around and waiting for someone to come to him. There had been a disquiet feeling in the atmosphere over the past two days, as the various factions sat and waited for some significant action to kick off the Holy Grail War.

He moved quickly up the street and through the driveway. He passed through the bounded fields around the house with ease. The frontal assault on the house would normally be almost suicidal due to the number of bounded fields and magecraft traps that Masters would set up around their workshop, but for Servant Saber, those kinds of magecraft barriers aren't a problem at all. Unlike the stealthy and agile Assassin, Saber boasted A-Rank Magic Resistance that made Tokiomi's defenses an utter joke to him. Then Saber stopped and stood right before the Tohsaka house. It was an elegant and stately thing that seemed to tower over Saber. It was as if even the house had realized Saber's unspoken challenge. Here he loudly flared his prana, making sure that any Servant would quickly detect him.

''That's far enough,'' a voice spoke from above Saber.

The silver knight looked up in time to see a golden figure materialize on the rooftop of the Tohsaka house. A cape of sunfire, billowed in the cool night breeze, the shining golden armor contrasting against the inky dark nighttime sky. Saber met the cold and unforgiving eyes of Lancer as the two Servants assessed each other.

At least according to Kiritsugu's comments, Lancer was a weak Servant and ''not a threat'' he had muttered to Saber in the Einzbern castle. However, if anything, Saber's Instinct was screaming out to him that this man is extremely dangerous!

''Have you come to challenge my Master?'' Lancer asked calmly. His stance was cold and ruthless, worthy of a great hero.

''Lancer I presume? Yes, I am here to fight the Tohsaka faction,'' Saber replied confidently.

''I see. You don't fear a frontal assault then,'' Lancer mused, a slight smile breaking up his stoic mask.

He extended one gauntleted hand, and a flash of light appeared for a moment. Then in his hand, there was a massive and ornate golden spear, the tip of its head as big as a shield. It was a beautiful weapon precisely crafted by divine hands. The intense "pressure" coming off it confirmed that it was undoubtedly Lancer's Noble Phantasm. As far as weapons went, it wasn't the least bit inferior to the holy sword Saber concealed under his wind barrier.

Unmistakable killing intent filled the air as Lancer brought his spear about with effortless grace.

Then he leaped like a blazing comet as Saber raised his blade.

The first actual duel of the Holy Grail War had begun.

* * *

Kiritsugu Emiya sat in the forest bushes that gave him a good view of the Tohsaka residence. Over two hundred yards away, Maiya was moving per his orders to encircle and flank the Tohsaka residence. Using this two-pronged movement, he hoped to catch Tokiomi off guard. If Tokiomi tried to escape his workshop, then Maiya or Kiritsugu would proceed to gun down the enemy magus down from afar. It was a subtle and ruthless plan that perfectly suited the pragmatic Magus Killer.

As he watched Saber move up through the front lawn to confront Lancer, Kiritsugu could only give a slight smile. For all his difficulties with his tool, Saber was performing exactly to the plan. He had sought out the nearest enemy and headed right towards them to crush them. It was the straightforward charge of the knights of old.

This was exactly what Kiritsugu had hoped for, that all attention would be drawn on the silver knight, leaving Kiritsugu to go hunting in the shadows. He had every expectation that Saber would be able to defeat Lancer quickly. With his ''Master's Vision," he could see Lancer's strengths and abilities. The golden knight was a thoroughly mediocre Servant with average skills. Against the strongest of the Servant classes, he didn't stand a chance.

If Tokiomi stayed put, then Saber would crush Lancer, leaving Tohsaka defenseless without a Servant. If Tohsaka ran, he would only be running to his death. Even in the unlikely possibility that he would come forward to try and support Lancer with his magecraft, Kiritsugu had an excellent sniping position. The Magus Killer now laid in wait to spring his trap on Tokiomi.

Through the gaps in the trees, he watched for a moment through his night vision scope as the two Servants leaped into action.

In a flash, the two Servants disappeared from view. Becoming invisible blurs, they left the comprehension of ordinary observers and moved into a high-speed combat that only those who transcended humanity could accomplish. This was the battle of the Heroic Spirits that exceeded modern reality.

Here, a massive trench was dug in the earth.

There, a tree sliced in half like a mere twig.

Great clods of dirt were kicked up into the air.

It was a magnificent display of superhuman martial prowess.

And yet the battle was one-sided.

Saber advanced against Lancer; his sword weaving a deadly pattern in the air. It was an opening attack that would have sliced apart a lesser Servant, yet Lancer shifted to meet his attack. The great golden lance in Lancer's hand blurred and waved to counter the invisible sword.

In less than a minute the two had exchanged over two hundred blows between them, the golden lance and invisible sword intertwining and clashing dozens of times with the superhuman speed and skill that only Servants can possess. Truly it was a splendid display of martial prowess between the two heroes. Despite Saber's ability, he did not advance a single step closer to the Tohsaka house. The reason for that is nothing less than the peerless skill of Lancer. While Saber exceeded Lancer in overall parameters, Lancer exceeded Saber in both skill and speed.

The spear point disappeared from Saber's vision. With his high-speed movements, Lancer created an almost literal wall of spear points from the sheer speed of his thrusts. If Saber advanced inside of that defense, then he would be reduced to something resembling swiss cheese.

Reach is another factor that Lancer held over Saber. With his long weapon, it's only natural that a spearman holds an advantage in length over that of a swordsman. It's a difference that Lancer is exploiting to his fullest potential. If it had been any another Heroic Spirit, then the difference wouldn't have been that great, but Lancer's martial prowess is truly exceptional even among the Heroic Spirits.

Already Saber was sporting wounds: a gash on his bicep, a cut on his chest, a superficial wound on his thigh, all sustained without inflicting any significant damage to Lancer. All of his strikes only inflicted scratches or nicks. Through keeping his distance and his Instinct skill, Saber avoided any fatal injuries to his heart or head, but with this battle of attrition, Saber would eventually have to fall, especially if Lancer should press the attack instead of defending his Master.

The tip of the high-speed lance changed and became a tiny golden light as Lancer's lance suddenly became a blur to strike at Saber again. The golden knight now proves that he deserved his class's reputation of "most agile" by increasing the rate of his attacks against Saber. The speed and force of his attacks were indeed absurd. In combination with his natural strength, quality of weapon and skill, Lancer hit at nothing less than A-Rank force. Saber's arms rung with shock and pain from blocking his attacks. Even a single opening in the swordsman's defense would see his heart or throat pierced.

The only silver lining to this is that Saber unquestionably admitted to himself that Lancer is stronger than him. He can feel some of the seals underneath his sword unlocking in agreement with conditions on his royal Noble Phantasm. If the battle continued at this pace, he would be forced to use Excalibur. However, then it becomes a question if he'll get a chance to use it under Lancer's relentless assault.

Meanwhile, Lancer continued his strikes while observing Saber with both interest and approval. To him, he can witness the brave and honorable fighting spirit that Saber exhibits. To have survived for so long against his attacks is praiseworthy, so Saber must have undoubtedly been a famous and celebrated Heroic Spirit.

Yes, he has a personality very similar to _him._

An honest and noble man who embodies justice itself. A pure man who is acting under a burden.

If he could see his Noble Phantasm, then he might be able to figure out who Saber is. While deceptions like the invisible sheath cannot fool Lancer as to the length and shape of the sword inside, he can't tell exactly what sword it is. It seemed possible that Saber might release his Noble Phantasm to counter him. To that end, Lancer would duly await permission from Tokiomi to release either of his two offensive Noble Phantasms. Even if his life were on the line, Lancer would loyally obey the orders of his Master.

However, such a thing might now prove to be a moot point as Saber was merely struggling to survive at this point under Lancer's assault. It wasn't like Saber is weak or unskilled, but rather it was just that Lancer is simply that strong and skilled.

At the same time as all of that, Lancer was very mindful of his Master's well-being. In truth, as payment for his considerable strength, Lancer's prana consumption is very severe. His divine spear along with his golden armor Noble Phantasm and his Prana Burst ability all drain large quantities of magical energy. Master Tokiomi might be a skilled and accomplished mage, but even he might be in danger if Lancer fought entirely at full strength for an extended period. That is why Lancer had so far restrained himself from using his Prana Burst skill against Saber.

 _Lancer,_ Tokiomi's voice sounded in his head. It was a form of telepathic magic that a Master and Servant could share together.

 _Yes, Master?_ Lancer responded.

 _Move in for the kill. Using Brahmastra is unacceptable given how close you are to me and don't use Vasavi Shakti unless you have no other choice. Otherwise feel free to fight with your full abilities._ Tokiomi commanded.

 _As you wish Master,_ Lancer replied.

At once, the heavy golden lance became enveloped in burning flames. Shrouded in the fire, Lancer went on the offensive.

* * *

Tokiomi sat back in a chair in the middle of his workshop, Lancer's mental reply echoing in is mind. He winced a bit as his magic circuits went into full throttle to supply Lancer with the magical energy that he needed to fight.

Lancer was almost everything he could ask for in a Servant. Surya's son was both incredibly powerful and completely loyal. However, his prana consumption was very high, as Tokiomi was currently finding out to his displeasure. It felt like he was now running a championship marathon.

It wasn't impossible to handle, even if Lancer was using his Prana Burst ability. Even Lancer's Noble Phantasms could be supported if used sparingly. However such consumption meant that Tokiomi was exhausted and unable to use his magic. That's why he had a pile of jewels around him, each carrying a year's worth of prana to cast fire spells with them. Since the gems contained stored prana and not the energy supplied by him, it was a way of fighting even if his magic circuits were being strained to their maximum. If an enemy Master tried to slip by and confront them, he could still fight them, or as a last resort, call Lancer to his side with a Command Spell.

Turning this thought to the battle outside, Tokiomi observes from Lancer's eyes the fight as best he can. Although the fight was taking place at speeds far beyond him, he understood that Lancer was firmly holding the upper hand in the battle.

As far as he can understand, the Einzberns must have summoned a Saber-class Servant. That was easy to judge from the concealment of the weapon and the straightforward approach to battle the silver knight took. He was formidable, with most of his parameters being around A-Rank. The invisible sword must be his Noble Phantasm as the silver knight had yet activated no other offensive ability. Tokiomi was not worried, however; with Lancer's armor, he wouldn't be killed easily at all.

For Tokiomi, everything was going according to plan. Saber will soon be dealt with by Lancer, and with that, the Tohsaka would have secured a major victory early in the war. With the Servant of the, ''strongest class'' dealt with the rest could be easily swept aside without worry.

Then he detected someone else arriving.

* * *

Behind a tree near the Tohsaka house, Berserker hid and watched the battle between Saber and Lancer. He could only watch in admiration when observing the skill and prowess of the two knights fighting just a stone's throw away. They were truly like the Heroic Spirits he had wished to emulate, the sort of warriors from myth and legend from far before his time.

His Master, Kariya, had hidden in an underground basement somewhere in the Miyama sewers. It was a disgusting and uncomfortable place to be sure, but one that ensured that nobody would find him. While he was supplying magical energy to Berserker, Kariya would be practically defenseless.

Berserker couldn't miss the presence of Saber as he came by the Matou estate, looking for the Matou Servant. As he left, he had followed the silver knight to the Tohsaka estate and had witnessed him challenge Lancer to battle. To that end, Kariya had issued new orders, to transform and help Saber against Lancer. He has been particularly insistent that Berserker target Tokiomi's Servant, the same one that had fought Assassin in full view of the familiars. He was confident of his victory after witnessing Lancer's parameters.

At least now Berserker could start to guess how Kariya regarded the enemy Master Tokiomi. From the insistence that Berserker assault Lancer, it seemed that Kariya viewed Tokiomi as his chief nemesis and rival in the war. More than that, what bothered Berserker was the sheer hatred that Kariya held in his voice when talking about Tokiomi and his Servant.

He knew that deep feeling of obsession and hatred.

Turning his thoughts away from his Master, he peered out further to focus on Lancer, who was driving Saber back step by step, with the silver knight sustaining more and more damage as he fought to keep alive under that level of attack.

Berserker was not a terribly strong Heroic Spirit. In life, he wasn't a warrior or a knight, but rather a scholar with no combat experience at all. As Dr. Jekyll, he is almost powerless when in this state, being weaker than even Caster or Assassin. In return for being almost powerless, he acquired the equivalent of A-Rank Presence Concealment to aid him. That is the ability that allows him to remain undetected by Saber and Lancer.

However, to display his combat power as a Berserker, he must use his Noble Phantasm. Dangerous Game: _Secret Game of Crime_ , the superhuman miracle drug that had transformed him into his split personality of Mr. Hyde. Depending on what class he was summoned into, Hyde would change forms. As a Berserker, he would become the most violent and bestial aspect of Hyde.

That Noble Phantasm is what allowed him to fight in the Holy Grail War, or more precisely it allowed _Mr. Hyde_ to fight on par with the other Servants. As Hyde, Berserker was more comparable to a powerful Phantasmal Beast. With that and Mad Enhancement, Hyde had enough power to match the three Knight classes. Also, he acquired a form of rapid regeneration and various body modification skills that enhanced his close combat power and durability.

Berserker could only feel lament that to fulfill his dreams; he must use the same power that led him to a tragic and self-destructive end. But to fight for that weak and dying Master, and that sad and abused girl, he will do it. Berserker can feel him, the madman eagerly stirring at the back of his mind, as if almost scenting the blood that is being spilled over in the Tohsaka's front yard. With a sigh of resignation, he drew his Noble Phantasm from his pocket. He unscrewed the cap and raised it to his lips.

''Dangerous Game,'' he mutters softly, drinking the bottle's contents.

At once the grotesque and horrifying transformation began. Berserker's body twisted and distorted. His muscles expanded and swelled with inhuman strength. His bones cracked and reformed under his skin. Black fur grew from his body and his fingers cracked as well as lengthening. His teeth turned into fangs, and his fingers transformed into hooked claws. Green eyes now glowed crimson red as he stared at the moon.

Jekyll is now gone.

Hyde now stood in his place.

With madness and bloodlust taking over his mind, Berserker let out an insane roar and leaped out from under his hiding place. With the force of a speeding train, Berserker charged into the battle before him, his bared claws and teeth at the ready. Like a black missile of hate, Berserker landed between Lancer and Saber, kicking up a huge cloud of dirt. Charging forward, he smashed into the golden form of Lancer with all the force of a Magic Beast. The lance blurred in the golden knight's hand.

Saber stood by and watched in surprise as Berserker of all people had somehow managed to sneak up on his and Lancer's duel. Those wicked fangs and claws tore as Lancer, who retreated in surprise as well, masterfully fending off Berserker's frenzied attacks. Although Berserker's strength was such that he could easily flatten a steel car without trouble, Lancer's body hardly showed any injury from the surprise attack that had been directed at him. All that remained was some deep scratches that healed quickly.

Lancer retreated before Berserker, and then he halted. He stood his ground, spear held at ready. Berserker hunched before him and gave another wild roar. Curiously enough, it sounded like two people were screaming at same the time through the distortion of Mad Enhancement. This new Servant was obviously Berserker.

When compared to either Saber or Lancer, Berserker stood out. Apart from his grotesque and twisted body, he lacked the heroic ''shine'' to him that both Saber and Lancer possessed. The glory of one of humanity's heroes, the radiance of their legend and worship. Rather, Berserker seemed more like some evil monster than anything else.

It wasn't even rational to think so, but one cannot help look upon Berserker and feel revulsion. It was as if the insane Servant is something emptied of all good and decent qualities of a normal human being.

''Berserker,'' Lancer spoke coldly.

Strangely enough, the mad beast had taken up position beside Saber. It wasn't like he recognized Saber as so much he was fixated on Lancer for some strange reason. While he kept his distance, Saber understood that Berserker evidently retained enough sanity or focus on regarding him as a temporary ally for some reason.

''Huh, I see,'' the silver knight noted, spending prana to close his wounds. Winds billowed around him as he readied himself to attack again.

''I see. You two are allying against me. Hmph, I suppose it's a valid method.'' Lancer spoke in the same unfeeling and blunt tone.

''I'm not entirely comfortable with allying with somebody like that, but I suppose I can't complain,'' Saber said reluctantly. He favored honorable duels. On the other hand, he acknowledged that Lancer was stronger than him and to defeat him, he would require help.

''Don't feel regretful. It doesn't matter to me if I have to fight both you and Berserker at the same time. It's no great problem,'' the golden knight said calmly.

It wasn't an arrogant boast at all. Lancer was speaking truthfully and honestly. For a Heroic Spirit like him, he had no complaint or hesitation when fighting two Servants at the same time. He really could handle them both. However, to the other two Servants, it must have appeared if Lancer was arrogantly belittling them and their skills as Heroic Spirits. But such a thing wouldn't aid them in combat: they had to focus entirely on overwhelming Lancer.

Filled with determination, the silver knight and the mad beast launched a simultaneous attack on the knight in gold.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

I would say that Arthur is about comparable to Siegfried in skill, but lacks the Armor of Fafnir as a damage buffer. So he can't just charge in face-first into Lancer's attacks like Siegfried could.

Here is Berserker's status sheet. Hyde is based of the black werewolf monster form that he had in Fragments. Unlike the other Servants, I put a full status sheet this time because of Jekyll's current lack of one for his Berserker form.

 **Class:** Berserker  
 **Master:** Kariya Matou  
 **True Name:** Dr. Henry Jekyll and Mr. Edward Hyde  
 **Gender:** Male  
 **Height/Weight:** 175cm・60kg  
 **Alignment:** Lawful Good/Chaotic Evil

Strength: B+  
Endurance: B+  
Agility: C  
Mana: D  
Luck: D  
Noble Phantasm: C

 **Class Skills:**

Mad Enhancement: A  
Parameters are Rank-Up. However complex thinking and speech are lost. Only employed by using the ''Dangerous Game" Noble Phantasm. _  
_

 **Personal Skills:**

Powerless Shell: A  
While his mind and body are as Jekyll, his other three Personal Skills cannot be invoked, his parameters decline and it becomes difficult to perceive him as a Servant. Conversely, upon employing the Noble Phantasm to become Hyde, his parameters explosively skyrocket as if a recoil.

Shapeshifting: C  
The ability to change shape. As Berserker the body changes and adapts to the changing situation.

Monstrous Strength: B  
Strength of monsters and devils. As Hyde It is possible to rank-up Strength. However if used for too long, mental instability might become worse.

Self-Modification: A  
A skill that manifests when he transforms into Hyde.  
Modifies the body to be specialized toward combat. Due to being summoned as a Berserker this skill is in full force. When combined with Mad Enhancement, this skill turns him into a beast that hardly resembles a human.

 **Noble Phantasm:**

 **Dangerous Game:** _**Secret Game of Crime**_  
Rank: C+  
Type: Anti-Unit (Self) Noble Phantasm  
Range: -  
Maximum Targets: 1 person

A miracle drug that morphs from Jekyll to Hyde, from Hyde to Jekyll. In Hyde's case, he acquires close-combat power comparable to the Three Knight Classes.

As a Berserker, he becomes the most bestial aspect of Hyde. All Personal Skills are invoked and a great durability is obtained.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** Here is the fourth Chapter.

FGO Material III was released recently and carried more information on Jekyll's skills and abilities. Apparently, his Self-Modification skill as a Berserker is a higher rank than as assassin. I've taken the liberty to change his previous status sheet.

* * *

 **Of Relics and Men-Chapter 4**

On a hill that overlooked Miyama town, Archer looked out from his position on the edge of a highway. It was a good position, and with Archer's Clairvoyance skill, he could perfectly watch the duel below that was taking place between Saber and Lancer. Unlike the skirmish he had with Saber the night before, this was truly the first major battle of the Fourth Holy Grail War.

In this position, he also had a chance to analyze Lancer. The reports from Kayneth's familiars hadn't amounted to much other than his Master judging Lancer to be an average enemy that Archer could take out quickly.

As Saber and Lancer fought, Archer could immediately see that wasn't true. As someone who had been a great teacher of heroes and warriors in the Age of the Gods, Archer had an excellent grasp on how to rate the abilities of Heroic Spirits. As Lancer fought, the sage could immediately tell he was an extremely skilled and powerful warrior. Whatever assumptions his Master might have made about the spearman's strength was wrong. The speed, skill, and strength of this warrior were something that Archer rated as being one of the greatest threats of the Holy Grail War.

This Lancer wasn't the least bit inferior at all to either of his most celebrated pupils, Hercules, and Achilles. It wasn't like Archer was dismissing the abilities of Saber or Berserker, but Lancer was a hero in a league of his own.

More to the point, he also recognized that Lancer's armor was a Noble Phantasm of some sort. It had the same kind of otherworldly aura that his divine spear carried, the weight of myth and legend that a Noble Phantasm carried as a symbol of heroism. Whatever that armor, it was just as much a symbol of Lancer's legend as the golden knight's spear.

With that in mind, he would try to figure out who this Lancer was. Even if he hadn't lived in the same era as Lancer, the Throne of Heroes granted Servants knowledge of legends throughout history and myth. So even if he hadn't been born in that same period, Heroic Spirit Chiron could recognize the exploits of Cu Chulainn or Siegfried.

More than his concern regarding Lancer, the appearance of Berserker worried Archer. That was for a different reason. He could tell that Berserker wasn't powerful enough to defeat Lancer or Saber by himself. His concern wasn't Berserker's strength.

Rather it was his nature. Archer instinctively recognized Berserker as not being a Heroic Spirit. The mad beast carried the negative surge of an Anti-Hero. There wasn't any way the strange black howling creature in the distance could be a proper Heroic Spirit.

That was problematic because as far as Archer knew, the Holy Grail was only supposed to summon noble heroes. He had even questioned his summoning as a former Divine Spirit but, he dismissed that due to having degraded to the rank of Heroic Spirit. However, somebody like Berserker shouldn't have been summoned unless there was some fact about the mad warrior that Archer was missing.

This posed a series of troubling questions about the Holy Grail.

Aside from questions about the Holy Grail, Archer was also puzzled as to who Berserker was. His first guess might have been a being with some tie to the werewolf legend, judging from his appearance. King Lycaon might be a candidate, but from firsthand knowledge of Lycaon, Archer knew that not be true. It could be possible that Berserker was someone else connected to the werewolf legend.

Regarding the fight below, that was taking place in the Tohsaka garden, it was hard to say without knowledge of their Noble Phantasms who might win. As it currently was, Archer didn't think that even Saber and Berserker combined could overwhelm Lancer. The golden spearman was a rare and exceptional warrior who wouldn't back down even when facing those kinds of odds. The intervention of Berserker would only change Saber's unfavorable situation to a stalemate.

* * *

The silver knight and the black beast came at Lancer from two directions. Though it hadn't been their intention, the two Servants launched a simultaneous attack from opposite directions. Saber's sword and Berserker's claws darted forward to strike at Lancer. It certainly was a fearsome prospect, a double attack from two fierce Heroic Spirits at the same time. Had Lancer been an average Servant it certainly would have been an unfavorable certain-kill situation for him. However, the golden knight was hardly anything but average in that respect.

The massive spear in his hands blurred into a web of golden steel as Lancer put himself into a defensive stance. At once, the ferocious battle was renewed with a new participant. Whereas previously Saber was being driven back, now the tide had changed with the introduction of Berserker.

Lancer's spear weaved and deflected attack after attack with effortless skill and agility. The invisible sword scraped against the metal of the divine spear alongside the barbed claws of Berserker. Try as they might they couldn't disarm Lancer's splendid defense. However, the golden warrior had been unable to deflect all the blows.

Saber achieved a sword stroke to the shoulder. Berserker's claws tore at his throat and stomach at different angles. Yet these attacks only inflicted scratches or dark bruises on Lancer. These were more injuries that the golden spearman quickly healed with magical energy from his Master.

It wasn't like Saber or Berserker were making half-hearted or weak attacks. All of their blows were fierce ones with the intent to kill, as benefiting the ferocity of Heroic Spirits. However, none of their attacks on Lancer inflicted anything more than slight wounds.

The answer to that mystery is Lancer's shining golden armor Noble Phantasm. In other words, Kavacha and Kundala: _O Sun Become Armor_. It is the suit of armor and earrings that his father Surya had granted him after his mother Kunti begged him for some boon for her child. It was a great Noble Phantasm that reduced all damage and conceptual attacks to one-tenth of their strength. With this armor on, Lancer had been considered immortal in life until it was stolen through trickery. It was truly the sort of Noble Phantasm that was practically a cheat ability.

The same occurred again and again. Attacks to the spearman's limbs or vital organs were reduced to scratches that were quickly healed by Lancer. Meanwhile, all of Lancer's attacks were delivered at full force at Saber and Berserker.

Despite the rapid-fire torrent of spear strikes from Lancer, Berserker advanced fearlessly into the brunt of Lancer's attacks. The spear tore grievous wounds in Berserker's body, smashed his bones and ripped out his eyeballs.

However, to Lancer's astonishment, the damage was quickly repaired right before his eyes. Berserker himself also possessed an exceptional durability. It wasn't a divine suit of armor that Lancer owned, but rather a great vitality that had been granted by Berserker's superhuman drug. It was even possible to recover from being hit by a powerful Noble Phantasm.

This ability was the "Restructuring" ability that Berserker possessed. The owner obtains rapid regeneration. His internal organs regenerated or moved around to avoid spear strikes. It truly was a durability and vitality on part with a Phantasmal Beast like a werewolf or the Hydra species.

This durability was what Saber now exploited. Even if he had Berserker's cooperation, the mad warrior wasn't an ideal ally. There was no real sense of support or coordination due to Berserker's insanity. The mad beast advanced without strategy or tactics, just trying to annihilate Lancer. If Saber got too close, Berserker might lash out at the silver knight as well in his madness.

So Saber utilized Berserker as a meatshield to absorb Lancer's spear strikes while he maneuvered around to get more of an advantageous blow on Lancer. It was hard, due to Lancer's skill, but Saber was trying to inflict as much damage as he could to kill Lancer.

Even if the golden armor reduced his attacks to a minor effect, it might still be possible to inflict damage in an area where Lancer had his vital areas, such as the head or the heart where a Servant's spiritual core is kept. If he struck hard enough, he might inflict severe damage on Lancer.

Then he found his opportunity. Berserker lunged forward as Lancer pierced the mad beast on his divine spear, the spearhead of the heavy weapon impaling the howling Servant through the stomach. The weapon now skewered Berserker, but also, more importantly, he temporarily trapped Lancer's weapon.

Saber kicked off the ground, running up the swollen muscles of Berserker's back. His magic circuits flared as he put his Prana Burst into full throttle, the result of the draconic heritage granted to him by Merlin. With this in conjunction with a temporary release of Invisible Air, he hoped to have enough cutting power to kill Lancer.

''Hrrrrraaah!'' the silver knight's yell of triumph came from above.

The invisible sword in his hands began to blaze with prana as Invisible Air stirred into wakefulness, like a raging storm. With his sword in a two-handed grip, the silver knight attacked. Saber's sword was squarely aimed at Lancer's head, where the sword would split his skull in two.

As Saber closed in from above, Lancer's gauntleted arm reached out and grabbed the sword barehanded.

At once Saber's descent was halted, the blade striking deep into Lancer's palm. An attack that would have taken off a limb in normal circumstances had been reduced to one-tenth of its power. Blood trickled down Lancer's gauntlet as the golden warrior held the invisible sword.

Then Lancer began to shine like the sun. A torrent of fire billowed out from every part of his body in an escalating inferno that engulfed both Saber and Berserker. A perfect circle of flames scorched the ground around them, leaving not a hair out of place.

When the fire cleared, Saber and Berserker had been blasted away, the latter having his body scorched and burned by Lancer's flames. The fiery attack was delivered by Lancer's version of Prana Burst, different from Saber's technique; it expelled flames. It was a product of his divine blood from Surya, who commanded the radiance of the sun in Hindu lore. Had it gone on for longer, he could have inflicted much more damage on his enemies, but such an ability is costly regarding prana, and Lancer can't even maintain it for ten seconds.

However, with his opponents down it was only prudent to advance and kill them. Lancer raised his spear-

''-Oh? Are you back up already?'' the golden spearmen raised a single white eyebrow.

Berserker growled and got up, regenerating quickly, the grapefruit-sized wound in his stomach closing. Truly his recovery ability was exceptional, being able to receive an attack like that and then come back for more.

''Even behind that mask of insanity, you have an indomitable fighting spirit. I can only guess how much it will take to kill you,'' Lancer nodded respectfully. Even under Mad Enhancement, Lancer could read Berserker's personality and understand the man inside the howling beast. He perceived the vigorous and resolute feelings of justice and courage that resided in the weak man who had transformed into this beast.

Berserker charged again, his claws and limbs lengthening as a response to Lancer's greater reach. This change was another one of the abilities of Berserker's Noble Phantasm, granting him the Self-Modification abilities and Shapeshifting abilities to better aid him in close quarters combat.

He didn't stand a chance of defeating Lancer, but he would be able to buy enough time for Saber to recover. While he didn't have the miracle abilities of Berserker's superhuman drug, Saber was still a high-ranking Servant and could heal wounds with prana just like Lancer did for the scratches and wounds on his body.

However….

There wasn't a significant amount of damage on Saber, if only because he used his own Prana Burst to offset the flames that Lancer had produced. His skin was dirty and scorched, and there was soot on his armor, but he was still in fighting shape.

''Is that it Lancer?'' Saber gave a challenging grin, bringing up his invisible sword once more, the winds whipping around as he prepared to release it.

The situation had seemed worse than he thought. With that golden armor and Prana Burst ability so similar to his own, Lancer's defenses and abilities were formidable indeed. If this kept on going, he would have to release Invisible Air and use his actual Noble Phantasm. Needlessly to say he was reluctant to do that given the sheer scale of destruction that would result from using Excalibur in this suburban area. Lancer and his Master would probably be dead, but what about the innocent civilians nearby? It was something that a knight like him was reluctant to do.

He stepped forward to stand next to Berserker, his injuries healing from his prana intake. Undoubtedly his Master Kiritsugu must have been in some discomfort now, given a large amount of magical energy he just took from him, but Saber couldn't afford to worry about that now.

Once again the silver knight attacked the golden spearman alongside the mad beast. The invisible sword cleaved through the air as the black claws scraped against the divine spear that Lancer wielded. At once the shining warrior leaped to meet their combined charge.

With his right hand, he grasped his spear one-handed and used it to deflect Saber's attacks. With his other gauntlet, he lashed out to block Berserker's darting claws. It was a peerless display of martial prowess and skill that was worthy of the great hero Karna.

With that exchange Lancer landed behind Saber and Berserker, twisting around quickly, grasping his divine spear in both arms again before setting it aflame once more. This time he intended to press forward and hit his opponents with a certain-kill attack to either the head or the heart to put them down for good.

As he pressed forward, his charge was arrested by a dozen arrows striking him in the chest, flinging him backward several feet. As the bowman had prepared the arrows beforehand, the arrows had struck with the accuracy and force of a missile launcher.

While the arrows didn't inflict any significant damage on Lancer due to Kavacha and Kundala, their sudden momentum still pushed him back several feet away from Saber and Berserker, giving them the split second they needed to compose themselves and turn around.

''Archer,'' the golden spearman muttered, knowing that these arrows could have only come from one Servant. There was evidently another Servant waiting in the wings for him after this.

Then before anything else could be done, there was the sound of thunder and a flash of lightning as a grand chariot arrived at the battlefield.

* * *

It was thunderbolt and lightning that heralded Rider's arrival.

A large ornate chariot descended from the skies; it's steeds running on lightning bolts in the air. It was a divine-blessed cart, pulled by two handsome bulls that were clearly creatures of the gods. Unquestionably, it was a Noble Phantasm.

Its charioteer was a massively muscled man clad in crimson and burgundy. The Servant was a tall mountain of a man with craggy, commanding features and red hair like the dyed mane of a lion. His cloak billowed behind him, further framing his dramatic entrance. A broad grin spread out on his face while a slight, trembling boy clutched at his side.

Servant Rider had been watching the battle unfold between Lancer and his assailants, Saber and Berserker. It truly was a splendid fight, worthy of Heroic Spirits, and Rider wanted to go out and praise all of them for their exceptional martial skill. However, he had an offer to make before the battle would have reached its conclusion.

After all, he couldn't let any more Servants die before he came and extended his generous offer to them? After all, that was part of the reason why the King of Conquerors had taken the field tonight, to extend his offer of alliance to other Servants.

So with that, he had descended into the battlefield below on his steed.

''Sheathe your weapons! A King has arrived!'' the figure, Rider proclaimed with an air of authority.

At once all activity in the garden was ceased, that was except for Berserker.

The mad warrior did not have the comprehension to understand Rider's commands, nor did he care. Under the curse of Mad Enhancement, he promptly attacked the intruder as his chariot set down on the ground. Claws and fangs extended, he rushed at Rider.

With one whip of his reins, the crimson Servant riding the divine chariot directed the bulls to trample forward suddenly. In one sudden movement, the Gordius Wheel rushed forward and smashed Berserker underfoot, the hooves and lightning trampling the black beast with pulverizing force.

The form of Berserker went spinning away into the pulverized dust, but almost instantly, the body of the mad warrior repaired itself. Rider whistled in acknowledgment at the impressive recovery ability of Berserker. Even when being hit by Rider's Noble Phantasm, Berserker's ''restructuring'' ability was able to repair the damage and restore Berserker to fighting condition.

Once again the black beast rose again and rushed at Rider, only to be met with the same response by Rider's chariot, lightning-wreathed hooves smashed into the maddened beast who attacked without reason or tactics, sending Berserker down again.

''This guy is troublesome,'' Rider sighed as a hint of irritation colored his tone.

With this, Rider understood the truth of the situation. Berserker did not have either the sanity or clarity to understand his offer or reasoning. So in other words, he was just the same as the rest of his class, a mad beast who rampaged around in battle. He had to remove Berserker or else his negotiations would be halted prematurely.

''Berserker's Master! I take offense at this crass response! Withdraw your Servant, or I will ally with Lancer and crush Berserker with our combined might!'' Rider proclaimed into the night.

A few seconds later, Berserker roared and then turned into spirit form to retreat. Undoubtedly his Master was watching the battle through the eyes of nearby familiars and used a Command Spell to make Berserker retreat.

''That's better…'' Rider grinned and turned around to address both Saber and Lancer.

''Heroic Spirits! I come here to extend an offer to you. I am Iskander! The King of Conquerors! I have been summoned under the class of Rider for this Holy Grail War!'' Rider loudly proclaimed.

''R-rider you idiot!'' his Master sputtered in shock, having recovered from his fear.

Lancer watched impassively as Rider's Master began to berate him loudly. It was a bold and foolish move, to announce one's identity freely in the Holy Grail War. To do so would reveal all sorts of information and weaknesses to potential opponents.

If Lancer himself revealed his real name, it would undoubtedly reveal the truth behind Uncrowned Arms Mastership. Also, to anyone who knew his famous legend, one could easily see the curses that Lancer had been burdened with in life.

''Saber! Lancer! You both had a magnificent battle! I was hoping to extend this offer to Berserker, but alas that did not work out very well .'' The crimson giant sighed before continuing.

"I ask you to lay down your arms and join my great army! Together we can acquire the Grail together!'' Rider proclaimed.

It wasn't a lie or mockery. Anyone could tell Rider was extending the offer with full conviction and sincerity. Still, it seemed like another insane or ridiculous proposition. After all wasn't the Holy Grail War a deathmatch with only one winner?

Lancer could see and understand the truth of Rider's convictions. He meant every word he said. He was a hero who preferred to have his opponents join in a bond of friendship and brotherhood. The golden knight understood this was a man with a truly incredible vision that was suitable for a hero. He also understood that the King of Conquerors held an incompatible existence with the Saint of Generosity.

''What a peculiar offer Rider. The Grail won't materialize without the other six Servants slain. Otherwise, cooperation would have been possible among Masters in the past. What you propose is inherently an impossible dream'' Lancer spoke harshly and coldly. Without giving Rider a chance to reply, Lancer continued.

''To that offer, I must refuse. I have sworn loyalty to only a single man in this Holy Grail War,'' Lancer continued bluntly.

''I don't have the same reasoning as Lancer, but I have my wishes, and I won't join you either Rider,'' Saber spoke confidently, invisible sword raised.

In a moment the brief truce established by Rider seemed to have ended. Tension hung in the air as three Servants regarded each other warily. The field appeared to be equally divided between the silver knight, the golden knight, and the crimson charioteer on the divine battle chariot.

In truth, Saber was concerned. He had been only able to match Lancer with Berserker's help. It didn't seem like Rider would ally with Lancer now, but how would a three-way fight turn out between these three powerful Servants? Nobody could reliably say to that regard.

''Ah, that's disappointing. I see negotiations have broken down,'' Rider sighed, a flicker of disappointment crossing his features.

 _Saber withdraw_. Kiritsugu's curt voice sounded in the knight's head.

''What?'' Saber responded.

 _The situation is not optimal. Withdraw._ Kiritsugu said calmly.

Kiritsugu had observed the scene and judged the situation to be unfavorable for him. Saber had not been able to penetrate the Tohsaka mansion's perimeter nor lure out Tokiomi. If the battle continued like this, it might result in Saber getting caught between Lancer and Rider. With Berserker having left, Saber had lost an ally.

Yes, to Kiritsugu this was something that needed to be done.

''I still have my fight to finish with Lancer,'' Saber responded quietly.

 _Retreat. I will use Command Spell if I have to._ The Magus Killer threatened coldly, with no hint of emotion in his voice.

Saber gritted his teeth, looking out at the two Heroic Spirits before him.

''I would like us to continue this fight, but it seems my Master disagrees." The silver knight told Lancer before lowering his sword.

''I see, so that's how it is,'' the golden demigod raised his lance and prepared to pursue.

''Leave him, for now, Lancer,'' Tokiomi's voice echoed from the mansion. Undoubtedly he was using magecraft to project his voice. With that, Lancer halted his movements.

None of the other Masters could have known it at the moment, but Tokiomi was already suffering from mana deprivation. So for the moment, the red-suited Magus thought it best to let Saber go so he could recuperate.

''At the very least Lancer, I can assure you this is not over,'' Saber told the golden spearman before turning around and moving off into the night.

''You handle that blade well Saber. Next time I will slay you,'' the golden knight said to himself, a small smile appearing on his pale features.

''What about you then Rider? Do you wish to fight?'' Lancer turned his cold gaze back to the crimson-clad king.

''Eh, not tonight. I would like to investigate the other Servants first.'' Rider mused. After all, he had to seek out Caster. Also, though he would not admit it, Rider was hoping Saber and Lancer would change their minds eventually.

''Well then, another night Lancer!'' Rider loudly proclaimed. He snapped his reins again, and the chariot rose into the air once more. Before he left, he turned around and shouted into the night.

''Archer! Though you chose not to appear, I hope to extend that same offer to you as well!'' Rider's voice boomed into the night shortly before his battle chariot flew off into the evening in a trail of thunder and lightning.

After a few moments, Lancer too turned into golden light and moved back to his Master's side.

The first major clash of the Holy Grail War had ended.

* * *

Above the hill overlooking the Tohsaka House, Archer stood on a tree, perfectly balancing on a protruding branch. His hawk-like eyes quickly pierced the darkness, letting his Master overview the recent battle with the shared perception magecraft they were using.

''King Iskandar eh?'' Archer mused.

He could have guessed who Rider was as soon as he recognized the chariot that Zeus had given to King Gordius. His confirmations were proven correct a few minutes later as Rider announced who he was to the world.

Looking at it logically, it was a foolish move. Announcing one's actual name was the same as declaring one's strengths and weaknesses. It would mean putting oneself at a disadvantage to anything that might have killed you in life. Chiron himself would be susceptible to poisons and other such weapons due to the circumstances of his legend.

And yet there was another part of him that admired the fearless confidence that Rider displayed. It was the sort of thing a real hero might put forth, a kind of trait that almost reminded him of his old student Achilles.

Archer was intrigued by Rider. It wasn't just that Rider was also a Heroic Spirit from the same lands as Archer was, but he was also a Heroic Spirit connected to Archer himself. Alexander the Great's admiration and hero worship of Achilles was a well-known fact. He had modeled his life journey after Archer's old student, preferring a short life full of glory and battle rather than a long and obscure life of peace.

At that moment a deep interest was taken in Rider by Archer. The sage wanted to see how Rider would measure up to his old student.

His Master, however, was more vitriolic.

 _Waver Velvet? That impudent peasant stole my catalyst and entered the war! The nerve! The gall!_ Kayneth ranted over their mental link, his voice thick with outrage and indignation. Archer blanched a bit at the more colorful insults his Master began to spew.

At the very least, Kayneth was angered and offended by the revelation of Waver Velvet in this war. Previously Kayneth had believed that Iskandar's relic had merely been stolen and hidden away. Likewise, he had not connected the disappearance of Waver Velvet with that fact either. Not only had it been revealed that Waver had not only stolen Alexander the Great's catalyst but had entered the Holy Grail War himself.

It seemed likely that his Master would order Archer to fight Rider in the future, a prospect that Archer was looking forward to with mixed emotions. However, the King of Conquerors, as formidable as he may be, was not the greatest threat in this war.

That was very clearly Servant Lancer, who was concealing his real power through some personal ability or Noble Phantasm. The golden spearman clearly had reserves of power that he had yet to use so far in this battle. Archer had to bend every part of his formidable wisdom to find a way around that divine golden armor Noble Phantasm.

With a sigh, he turned around and disappeared into the night.

* * *

In an abandoned warehouse in the Shinto district, a black shape materialized in the darkness of the warehouse. Its walls and floors covered in the filth and dust of neglect. It wasn't a place that any ordinary citizen would have chosen to visit, but it made a good hiding place for Berserker and his Master.

With another howl, the form of Berserker began to change again, losing muscle mass and size. He grew smaller and weaker as the time limit for Dangerous Game finally ran out, and the Jekyll personality reasserted itself once again. After a few minutes, the panting form of Jekyll lay prone on the ground.

After taking a few moments to collect himself, Berserker got up again and straightened himself up. All the wounds sustained so far in his other personality were gone, having been dealt away with his ''Restructuring'' ability. There was no evidence of the mad beast as before. To any onlooker, he would have seemed like an average human. Such as the ability of the ''Powerless Shell'' Personal Skill he had.

Berserker sighed and put a hand to his chin, thinking back to the fight be had been in previously. Even when his other half had taken hold of his body, Berserker's ''good'' personality had been present as a helpless spectator imprisoned at the back of his mind.

From his thoughts, all of the heroes he had witnessed so far were very formidable. There was the gallant silver knight Saber, who surpassed him in overall ability. There was also the great king Iskander who had been summoned as a Rider-class Servant. Then finally the Servant Lancer.

Lancer had been the most formidable, with that golden armor Noble Phantasm that had reduced all of Berserker's strongest attacks to superficial scratches and scrapes. The golden spearman was the sort of great hero told in myth and legend.

All that Berserker would say was that these kinds of heroes were of a different kind from what he was. They were much older and powerful. These were heroes from the Age of the Gods. They were heroes from a time where magic and monsters were commonplace.

It wasn't that his Noble Phantasm gave him a weak ability, but in Berserker's case, it would have been more potent if he had been a warrior or a knight in life rather than a doctor from the late 19th century. Otherwise, his Noble Phantasm merely brought him up to a certain level from being weak to start.

Although now with his rational mind free of Mad Enhancement, Berserker could now put forth and make new plans. Even with the power of Dangerous Game: _Secret Game of Crime_ , trying to use brute force against Lancer clearly would not work. It seemed that some alternate strategy would have to be figured out to deal with Lancer and the other Servants.

With that, Berserker ran off to find his Master and check up on him.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Here ends the opening two-part battle. I am hoping I handled the fight scenes and characterization well.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:** Here's Chapter 5

* * *

 **Of Relics and Men Chapter 5**

''That was an exciting night, wasn't it boy?'' Rider commented as he opened a cardboard box in front of him. It was some sort of Tactical RPG that he had purchased recently, a kind of fantasy military game in which the player directed units on a tile-based map. The red-haired king was currently sitting on the floor of Waver's bedroom in wonderment.

''Exciting? It was a disaster, you big oaf!'' Waver stammered as he huddled on his bed with a blanket wrapped around him. It was noon and Waver was still bleary-eyed from last night's events. Currently, both of the Mackenzies were out shopping. So Waver and his Servant had free reign of the house for now.

''We didn't learn anything about the enemy Servants, and you revealed your true name,'' the young man went on in a huff.

''Eh? I wouldn't say that. I'm not one of those Heroic Spirits that actually reveals any kind of significant weakness from a true name. What kind of King would I be by hiding my true glory as a monarch?'' Rider questioned, examining his new game carefully before setting it aside.

''And besides, that night wasn't entirely fruitless. I think I have a decent idea of who one of the enemy Servants might be,'' Rider noted.

He reclined back and thought back to his past, to those days of marching armies.

It was after he had ended the robust Achaemenid Empire and taken Babylon. His rival Darius III had been murdered by a treacherous subordinate. He had taken over the Persian satrapies, but it had not been enough for the Macedonian King. Indeed, he had continued his pursuit to Okeanos. It was his last great campaign. The Macedonian King had crossed into the distant land of India, an area that was a mysterious place to the Greeks. It had been said his divine ancestor Hercules had once led an expedition to that kingdom, There he desired to conquer the distant lands for his empire.

Rider could smile in fondness as he remembered encountering the great King Porus who ruled the kingdom of Pauravas. He and Porus had clashed in the grand battle at Hydaspes in which the Macedonian forces were victorious. He then accepted King Porus as a vassal and appointed him governor of his newly conquered territory.

The King of Conquerors always had an interest in foreign cultures and anecdotes. During his time in India, he learned much about the land, and its people, as well as their mythological cycles as well. Lancer reminded him strongly of certain anecdotes he had heard in his lifetime, of the great heroes who had fought in the ages past when the Age of the Gods was at a greater peak in India. Rider had his own suspicions of who Lancer was. The golden-armored knight was evidently a hero favored by some foreign deity, as his golden armor shone with a divine aura that Rider could sense.

Now, this was only guesswork and Rider could be wrong, but, the red-haired king had already started to figure out Lancer's real identity.

* * *

The sun shone through the windows of the Fuyuki Hyatt as Kayneth sat on the leather couch. The remnants of his meal sat before him. Sola-Ui was beside him, silent and aloof, much to Kayneth's discomfort. Archer was leaning against the wall of the room, staring out into the city horizon. He was watching the milling crowds of men and women in the distance. Truly this was something he appreciated, watching people go about their daily life.

If there was one thing Heroic Spirit Chiron loved, it was human beings and their ability to live their transient lives to the fullest. Compared to the other centaurs who were barbaric and violent, Archer was truly a friend to humanity. The centaur was a teacher of heroes and warriors. The ability to struggle against death and live to the fullest extent is what Archer appreciates most about humans. It is the sort of trait that he was never able to appreciate in himself due to being immortal for most of his life.

''Master,'' he interjected, feeling now was a good time to approach Kayneth about this.

''Yes Archer?'' he turned to look at his Servant. Kayneth dismissed his previous thoughts and focused on the centaur.

''I wish to bring up the topic of Lancer,'' his Servant put forth.

''Yes, the golden Servant. I saw his parameters and abilities through our shared perception. He shouldn't be a challenging opponent. Though it's puzzling why Saber and Berserker could not defeat him,'' Kayneth noted.

Archer paused, wondering how to put this as delicately as possible.

''That is the issue. Your judgment was correct, but I believe Lancer fooled you,'' the sage put forth.

''Fooled me?'' Kayneth raised an eyebrow. This remark sparked his curiosity.

''Yes, your Master's vision was correct. You are a proper Master chosen by the Grail. I believe that Lancer has some ability or Noble Phantasm that obscures his actual abilities. What is shown does not match up to his performance,'' The Knight of the Bow speculated.

''So in other words, you think Tohsaka and his Servant are employing some deception? You saw this where I could not?'' Kayneth asked dubiously, stewing over the thought.

Archer mentally sighed. Kayneth Archibald was a difficult man to handle from the start. The nobleman is not bothered by the mistakes of others so much as he is bothered by his own errors.

After all his Master was the type who excelled at almost everything he had put his mind to.

When Archer had been summoned three days ago using an ancient harp that he had once wielded, one of Kayneth's first questions had been about what Archer's wish for the Grail might be. It wasn't an unexpected question, given the possibility that a Servant's wish might clash with that of the Master. To that Archer had replied:

'' _It's a rather shameful thing for a hero. I wish to regain the immortality I gave up shortly before my death. It is the only gift my parents bequeathed to me, and I would like to treasure it once more,''_ he had said with honesty.

Kayneth had been satisfied by that selfish answer. The noble lord expected people to be greedy and ambitious. It was something that he grew to expect in Clock Tower politics. Having heard Archer's wish, he just classified it as a ''known element that could be handled and dealt with easily''. In other words, that selfish wish caused Kayneth to put Archer in higher regard than he would otherwise have.

''It's not surprising that Archer could see what you have not. After all, he is the famous sage who trained and assessed many heroes,'' Sola-Ui interjected herself into the conversation for the first time.

"I am someone who trains heroes. You are one who teaches mages,'' Archer replied in a diplomatic tone.

''I suppose that's true,'' Kayneth grudgingly admitted.

The Clock Tower professor let the reasoning stew a bit on his mind. On the one hand, it was true that he regarded his Servant as the same as any of the Mystic Codes he had brought along. Like a tool in other words. At the same time, Kayneth could not deny that Archer was a valuable and high-quality tool at that. That the bowman was an accomplished scholar probably contributed to his Master's acceptance of his words.

Even if Kayneth himself couldn't fully understand it, Archer could see it quite clearly. Sola-Ui did not love Kayneth at all. There was at best, a sort of dull acceptance to their arranged marriage. There would be no happiness or love in her eyes.

Archer sympathized with her, believing that all humans had a right to be happy. While an arranged marriage wasn't something unusual in his own time, Archer was just a naturally empathic Heroic Spirit who sympathized with people.

He could only guess that Kayneth had brought her along to this dangerous Holy Grail War as a witness to his glory in addition to acting as a prana battery. Kayneth hoped that his feats of magical prowess and martial valor would impress her. Archer doubted she would ever warm up to him like that. Archer could judge Kayneth had little experience in dealing with women, just as Sola-Ui had little experience in dealing with men. Inherently, Kayneth only understood Sola-Ui as a gift given to him, and Sola-Ui only understood Kayneth as the burden placed on her.

''Speaking about your prowess as a teacher, didn't one of your students steal your catalyst?'' Sola-Ui asked him. That remark was another verbal poke at Kayneth. The El-Melloi faction had learned about Waver Velvet and Rider from Archer's observations last night. Sola-Ui didn't know much about Kayneth's students, having attended his class once out of boredom and curiosity. However, she was able to piece together enough from Archer's information.

Her fiancée frowned at her words.

''Oh yes, Velvet did. I will show him all the danger of walking the path of a Master,'' he stated with a dark intent. It was true that Kayneth still regarded Velvet as a minor threat in the Holy Grail War, yet Velvet was something that the nobleman eventually planned to confront. Despite being a pathetic fool, Velvet was still an enemy Master.

Archer could only frown at the dark look that spread across his Master's face. The sort of punishment that Kayneth was planning out wasn't something he would probably condone. It was a jest of fate that he had been summoned by a man who was also a teacher, for their styles could not be more different.

Archer was someone who loved and nurtured his students, taking care to make sure that they grew into heroes and men. It was his earnest hope that they would surpass their teacher and grow into fine men. In Kayneth's case, he only ever had the expectation of students being his inferiors. The nobleman saw his role as an educator as only another feather in his cap.

* * *

 _Kariya found himself in a strange place._

 _It was a city of fog and pollution. A city shrouded in freezing cold and smog._

 _''This must be London'' he murmured to himself._

 _Ahead, he peered into the memories of his servant, Berserker._

 _In this city lived a particular man. Dr. Henry Jekyll. He was a person born into a wealthy family. As he grew, he became a famed professor of the humanities and medicine._

 _You could even call him a rare genius._

 _Despite that, he was also a man who wished for justice._

 _Kariya saw his concern over the people of his city. Humans were too easily stained with evil. Jekyll came to that conclusion when he assisted the famous detective Holmes in some cases. However, in doing so, he was exposed to the very underworld of the city. In this underworld, he was exposed to the Perpetuator of Evil. He found the architect of every murder in that European capital._

 _The Napoleon of Crime._

 _In that, his Servant had been driven to find a way to achieve justice even in such a terrible world. Jekyll vowed to eradicate it. The doctor wanted to achieve the justice that had been spoken of in the legends. He didn't have any talent or ability for combat, but he did have other skills that he could use to acquire the power to help people._

 _Jekyll created a miracle drug, using exotic ingredients he bought on the black market. Jekyll wasn't a magus nor did he have magic circuits, but he had conducted research into alchemic studies in his youth._

 _He sought out the help of a magus family that he knew to help with his experiments. At long last, after considerable trial and error, he had created the ideal miracle elixir. This superhuman drug would allow him to emulate the heroes of legend and bring out the inner potential that humans had locked away within themselves._

 _The final test subject could only be himself, Jekyll had decided._

 _The scholar drank it and-_

 _Somebody else emerged from it. There was another man who was insane and violent. Whereas the scholar Jekyll was kind and virtuous, the madman Hyde was the other side of that coin. The drug had given him the superhuman capabilities of a legend, but it had also brought out something terrible as well._

 _Kariya looked into the eyes of the man and saw the cruelty and violence contained within those crimson orbs._

 _Was it the evil that Henry Jekyll had suppressed for so long? A hidden dark side that had never been brought to light because of the gentleman's image that he had maintained in high society? Or was the other personality filled with such evil precisely because the main personality had no malice or evil in him?_

 _Whatever the truth, Hyde went out into the night and indulged himself. At first, his split personality wasn't impossible to coexist with. He did street fights, engaging with prostitutes and visiting the opium den. It was the rough acts of the lower class. Jekyll began to enjoy this unintended side-effect of the other personality that had been awakened. After all, this had afforded him a sense of freedom from the carefully structured life of a gentleman. He could act with anonymity without the expectations of others._

 _It didn't seem impossible that he could balance the "evil" with his "good." When the madman ran over a young girl on the street, the kind scholar took her in and healed her wounds. The evil within him could be contained and controlled._

 _However, Hyde began to get out of control._

 _He began to get more violent. Eventually, Hyde escalated to murder, beating to death Sir Danvers Carew in an insane rage before tearing off into the night. Horrified by the crime committed, Jekyll stopped taking the miracle drug and desired to atone for his crimes._

 _Then Jekyll discovered that he had begun to change without drinking his miracle elixir. He would blackout and wake up in an alleyway, covered in blood and filth. After some time he realized that the madman within him would not go away. To the contrary, the madman was growing ever stronger._

 _Hyde was degenerating. The miracle drug was warping both his body and mind into new and terrible forms. Eventually, the madman would grow stronger and eventually become the main personality of the body that they both shared. The madman indulged in a violent crime spree that the scholar was powerless to stop._

"Did you think that it would be that easy?" _Hyde would say to him in the back of his mind._

''I will flourish, and you will disappear'' _the madman had said with such relish. Horrified, the scholar had searched for some cure._

 _But there was none to be found. Jekyll didn't have the time or materials to concoct something. He had lost his supply of impure salt. More important the police were steadily closing in on him after the crimes his alter-ego had committed. He didn't have time to create a cure before the police caught him or the madman took over as the main personality._

 _Kariya could see it. The bloodstained figure of Jekyll in his studio, haggardly penning his last letter._

 _So Jekyll killed himself. He ingested poison and allowed the madman to die in the workshop. He had only left behind a note for people to understand his sad story and how he only had the best of intentions with creating that drug. Eventually, someone found that note and wrote a fictional novel about his life, using him as a model._

 _As he died, he could only lament how his life had been brought to this sort of end. He had only desired to help people, to emulate those heroes of legend and myth. He had been unable to do that and had suffered as a result. Given a chance for a second life, he only had one great wish-_

 _-I want to become an Ally of Justice._

* * *

Kariya Matou woke up with a gasp. He lay in the middle of a Fuyuki alleyway, surrounded on all sides by the filth and trash of society. There was a dull pain in his skull from the sudden awakening, but it was nothing compared to the agony he was currently going through.

It was late afternoon. He had been forced to sleep during the day and be awake during the night. This was very much due to the current demands of the Holy Grail War. As the battle was conducted during the night, the situation necessitated that he had to change his sleep cycle. He should be safe during the day as Masters and Servants could not fight then for fear of discovery.

He could only think of that dream he had. During his so-called ''training'', he had learned that Masters could sometimes share dreams with a Servant, or something like that. At the time it had been a minor detail compared to the worm pits he was putting himself into.

However, now he could see his Servant's life up to the doctor's final end. He saw Berserker as the distinguished scholar with good intentions. He saw the subsequent transformation into Hyde and the madman's rampage through London. He saw the sad, pitiful final fate of Berserker and his dashed hopes and dreams

More to the point, Kariya saw Berserker enter into something dangerous with those good intentions and then slowly degenerate into madness and despair. He did not admit this out loud, but seeing that brought a kernel of discomfort in his mind.

''Master?'' Berserker's voice interrupted his musings.

He hadn't even noticed his Servant come next to him, so deeply he was lost in his own thoughts. The blond youth was standing next to him, a quizzical look on his face and a bag of items in his hands.

Kariya had sent Berserker out on various errands during the day. Mostly to buy food and other supplies that he needed. Kariya himself couldn't go out in public due to his current state, but Berserker looked utterly mundane. The Servant couldn't be perceived as a Servant due to his unique nature. Also, due to Fuyuki's unusually high proportion of foreigners, Berserker could easily pose as a tourist or exchange student. It wasn't like he spent a lot of money during his hellish year of training under Zouken, so Kariya had handed Berserker his ratty wallet with what money he still had left from his freelance writing work and sent him off.

''I've returned with some supplies for you,'' Berserker said, putting the items on the ground.

Kariya grunted and sifted through them. It was mostly cheap, eat-on-the-go foods like fast foods or packaged snacks. It was probably pretty unhealthy for the average human, but Kariya was going to die in a few weeks anyway.

''Oh yes, I also have something for you Master,'' Berserker said, pulling something out from the bag. It was some sort of bottle.

''What?'' Kariya blinked.

''It's some medicine I created while I was out shopping with the money you gave me. I visited an apothecary and made this to help ease your pain,'' the Servant spoke.

Perhaps due to the long-standing transactions of the magic community in Fuyuki, it had been easy to find certain ingredients in the apothecary shops in Miyama. While he had been out, Berserker had concocted this tonic. He couldn't cure Kariya's body, it was far too past that. With his skills in medicine and chemistry, he could create something that would at least give him strength and ease the pain.

Kariya looked at the bottle for a moment, debating whether or not he should take it. Then with some reluctance, he took the bottle and unscrewed the cap. It was a foul-smelling and dull green concoction. He drank it after Berserker gave him a nod. It tasted stagnant and bland.

''It will take about an hour for the effects to kick in,'' the Servant noted.

''…Thank you, Berserker,'' Kariya said, after a few more seconds of silence.

When he had been stuck in the worm pits for a year, there had been no kindness from anyone, except Sakura. He had endured torture and insults from Zouken, as well as the drunken moods of his brother Byakuya. This was the first kindness and concern that anyone had shown him in a year. Honestly, Kariya almost didn't know how to react. Seeing the compassion and care in Berserker's eyes, it was more than the concern of a Servant for their Master. Rather, it was the look of a physician for a long-suffering patient. It was the look of someone you could trust.

''Master, I also have something to talk about. It concerns our strategy for the Grail War,'' Berserker said.

''Oh?'' Kariya looked at him with curiosity.

His plan as far as tactics went had been to just seek out enemy Servants and destroy them, starting with Tokiomi's Servant Lancer. He had been disappointed by Berserker's failure last night, but he hadn't had time to contemplate it as he had to rest to recover from the frenzy the worms had gone into when Berserker transformed.

He glanced briefly at his hand, noting the absence of one of his Command Spells. There was only a faded red smudge where the mark once was. The battle last night had cost him one precious Command Spell to pull back Berserker. It was a disappointment, but in retrospect, it was a necessary move. Filled with hatred as he was, not even Kariya expected Berserker to defeat both Lancer and Rider at the same time.

''With all due respect, I believe you are conducting this war in the wrong way,'' the Servant explained.

''…What?'' his Master looked at him through his one good eye.

''I was able to judge the abilities of Saber and Lancer last night. They were both above-average Servants. If I confront them head-on, I would probably fail,'' Berserker explained, putting a finger to his chin in thought.

''So are you giving up on helping me?'' Kariya's voice grew more heated and angry.

''Please don't misinterpret my actions. I support your wish for freeing Sakura Matou. I think you could go about this with an alternate strategy,'' Berserker replied in a reconciliatory tone.

''Go on,'' his Master sighed in relief.

''I do not register as a Servant. In fact, if it were not for the restrictions of the current Grail system, I would also be able to qualify for the Assassin class,'' his Servant noted. It was true. If the current Grail system had not been limited to only the leaders of the Hashshashin, then Berserker would also have the aptitude for the Assassin class.

''In that case, Hyde would take on a different form. However even as a Berserker, I can still act very similarly to an Assassin. To that end, I suggest I fight like an Assassin would,'' the blond youth went on.

''In other words, you want to target the Masters,'' the Matou man noted slowly, thinking it over.

''It would be easier than trying to defeat the Servants. Without a mana supply or contract, they would eventually have to disappear from this world,'' Berserker went on.

Usually, Berserker was a kind man who abhorred violence and murder. However, he could sense his Master's desperation. To make up for their relative lack of battle power, they would have to operate in an Assassin-like manner.

''To be honest Master, even with Dangerous Game, I am not a first-rate Servant who possesses overwhelming power. It seems prudent to me to suggest this course of action,'' Berserker noted.

Kariya mused over Berserker's suggestion. He made a persuasive case, one that Kariya found it hard to argue against. Killing the Masters would end this accursed war quicker so that Sakura could be freed sooner. Without Masters, the Servants would disappear. The only exception would be Archer, with his Independent Action skill. However, without a proper Master supplying mana to Archer, the bowman's battle strength would be limited.

It sat ill with him to not have Berserker fight and defeat Tokiomi's Servant, thus eliminating his hated rival. However, Berserker's words of logic couldn't be denied. In that case, he would have to settle for just having Berserker kill Tokiomi directly.

He nodded again.

''Alright we'll go with it like that,'' he said.

''Also Master, I have another thing I wish to talk to you about,'' Berserker spoke again.

''Well, out with it then,'' Kariya sighed.

''I wish to speak with you about Tokiomi Tohsaka,'' Berserker said.

Instantly, the tension in the air seemed to magnify again.

''Go on,'' his Master muttered.

''I only have a partial understanding of your enmity with him. To my knowledge, he is the birth parent of Sakura Matou, and you had me attack his Servant first. Could it be that you could blame that man for what happened?'' Berserker mused

''It's his fault. It's that bastard's fault. He made Aoi give away Sakura to Zouken,'' Kariya spat out, his tone thick with hate.

''Master-'' Berserker began.

''He's part of the whole wretched and horrible world of magic. Tokiomi and Zouken are exactly why I left that world in the first place. Tokiomi's the reason why Aoi, Rin, and Sakura can't be a happy family together. He's the reason why Aoi can't be satisfied with m-,'' Kariya sputtered a bit at the end, cutting off his rant as he realized it was heading into a dangerous area he did not want to admit.

How much of this was also Kariya's transparent feelings of envy? How much of this was this Lady Aoi's marriage to Tokiomi? To Berserker, it seemed that his Master had a very rose-tinted view of this Aoi person in addition to an uncompromising view of Tokiomi.

The blonde-haired Servant gave a nod of comprehension at this. His guess had provoked more than he thought.

''I see now. I understand why you hate the Tohsaka Master so. However, I do have a request for you,'' Berserker spoke calmly.

''A request?'' Kariya's irritated voice cut through the air, having lost his earlier patience.

''I ask of you to not let your obsession with Mr. Tohsaka override your better judgment, a clear and calm mind is require-'' Berserker began.

''How dare you lecture me about Tokiomi! I know him better than you. He's a monster just like all those accursed mages! Aoi can't be happy with him around. He's my enemy! You don't know anything!'' Kariya interrupted, roaring at Berserker.

Then there was only silence between the two. Berserker looked like he was about to speak, then he held his tongue and looked at the ground. Kariya breathed, trying to recover from his sudden exertion. He sat down on the ground and looked through the bag of food.

He felt bad all of a sudden. Berserker had shown him kindness and concern whereas nobody else did. Berserker who had answered his call to fight for him in this Holy Grail War. He couldn't stay mad at such a person.

''I'm sorry Berserker,'' Kariya sighed.

''It's alright Master. I understand this is a sensitive subject,'' Berserker replied softly.

''It's just that I don't want to talk about Tokiomi,'' the Matou master said while unwrapping a hamburger from his bag.

''It will soon be dark. You should get ready,'' Kariya told his Servant, as the two sat silently in the dark alleyway.

* * *

''I'm sorry I wasn't present for your battle,'' Irisviel said as she sat down next to Saber in one of the rooms in the Einzbern castle. It was a formal upper-story room where Irisviel had set up a crystal ball to monitor her defenses. From here she could best oversee the entire Bounded Field.

''It's fine, if anyone is to be blamed it's me,'' the blonde knight said. He now had a vest on, having taken off his jacket. Dressed like this, Irisviel thought he looked more like a butler or a waiter of some sorts.

Now with both of them safely behind the layers of traps and the Bounded Field in the castle, they could now freely discuss what had happened and their strategy. As usual, Kiritsugu was off pursuing his own plans.

''Still, we were able to encounter many Servants. One of them even gave his true name.'' Irisviel commented, thinking about the crimson-haired Servant she had seen. She had witnessed Saber's battle through her familiars. She had wanted to look out for both Kiritsugu and Saber's safety. Unlike a traditional Master, she was unable to see through her Servant's eyes. As a fake Master, she had to rely on her familiars.

At least they had learned of one Servant who they were facing. So far the Einzbern team had been unable to figure out anything on Lancer or Berserker.

''Yes, Rider,'' Saber closed his eyes and leaned back.

''To be honest, he reminds me of someone I once fought,'' he commented.

''Who?'' Irisviel leaned forward in curiosity.

''Emperor Lucius,'' Saber noted.

Lucius Tiberius, the Sword Emperor. He was the military leader who had united a coalition of warriors, and he had emerged from the declining provinces of the Roman Empire. He had fought King Arthur in a great war concerning the fate of Gaul. He was a charismatic general and a highly skilled warrior who had plundered the last vestiges of the Age of the Gods to fight Saber. Lesser knights fell before him like wheat before a scythe.

They had met south of the provincial capital. King Arthur led his army of knights against Lucius's army of heathens and monsters. Even with his dragon-endowed body, King Arthur had been hard pressed to defeat the Emperor. He had been severely wounded in the fight. Saber had wielded the holy sword Excalibur against the magic sword Florent, the sword that symbolized the imperial authority of the continent.

It was a magnificent clash of the holy sword and the demonic sword. It was a conflict of golden starlight and crimson lightning, but in the end, it was Excalibur that triumphed.

''Yes, that tyrant was truly a great opponent. He had the ability to unite many disparate peoples under his banner and the strength of will to pursue his course of action,'' Saber noted.

''That man, Lucius Tiberius, he was effectively wiped from history when the Age of the Gods in western Europe ended with you right?'' Irisviel questioned.

''Yes. Even so, that swordsman was not a hero quite on the same caliber as Alexander the Great,'' Saber had to admit. Although Iskandar lacked Lucius's aura of cruelty and malice.

Alexander was a known legend even in Saber's own time. He was a great warrior-king who had conquered a larger empire than anyone before. In many ways, Saber had to admit that Iskandar was the opposite of him, a king who conquered rather than a king who defended.

''He's definitely a great hero with first-class fame. I'm still confident on fighting him,'' the blonde knight noted.

''His Noble Phantasm was certainly formidable indeed. Kiritsugu said it had to be around A-Rank,'' Irisiviel noted. As a proper Master, chosen by the Holy Grail, Kiritsugu was able to use his Master's clairvoyance to assess Rider.

''I would have to concur, but from what I can judge from its power, my own Noble Phantasm can defeat it.''

''I hope that's true, but we have another issue here,'' the white-haired homunculus noted.

''Yes, Servant Lancer,'' Saber nodded, thinking back to him.

The golden knight had surprised everyone with his excellent strength and invincible power. That golden armor had reduced all of Saber's attacks to negligible damage. Even with Berserker's assistance, Saber had not been able to defeat Lancer. Of course, it might have been a different story if Saber had released his Noble Phantasm, but that was just speculation at this point.

''Even if it was two against one you could not overwhelm him,'' Irisiviel noted.

''Yes. If we knew who Lancer was we would probably have a better chance of figuring out his weak point,'' the British king thought it over. The golden knight's armor had to have some weakness or limitation. No such thing as perfect immortality and invincibility existed in this world. Even heroes like Achilles or Siegfried had some weakness to their invincibility.

''I can't guess at who he is, but he does remind me of Sir Gawain,'' Saber noted.

He thought back to his nephew Gawain, who carried the holy sword of the sun Galatine. The White Knight of Camelot who acted as a body double for himself. Lancer had the same radiant presence as Sir Gawain did. He had the same aura of one who carried the blessings of the sun. Undoubtedly Lancer was a hero connected to the sun in some way. Even his overwhelming power was not too different than Gawain's unique ability that he gained during the daytime.

Was Lancer some sun-related demigod, or was he blessed by the sun in some way? Or was his Noble Phantasm granted by a solar deity? There really was many speculations that Saber and Irisiviel could make. One thing was sure, though, the golden armor that Lancer had was not his only Noble Phantasm. Lancer's spear also carried a similar divine aura.

Lancer was obviously the most formidable opponent in this was a stronger foe than anyone that Arthur had faced in his lifetime, surpassing even Emperor Lucius and Sir Mordred. He had no hesitation in admitting that Lancer was more powerful to him and he admitted as much to Irisiviel.

''Eh? You really think that?'' Irisiviel blinked.

''Indeed, I'm not so arrogant to lose my ability to judge things with a royal disposition,' Saber gave a soft smile.

''That man is a first-rate warrior. He is probably the strongest Servant summoned to far,'' the royal swordsman commented.

The silver knight looked out wistfully in the window towards the Fuyuki City skyline in the far distance.

''I usually don't generally take pleasure in fighting, but that Lancer was a warrior with a fearless aura around him, though there is something off-putting about him.'' Saber continued.

Indeed, from one Heroic Spirit to another, Saber could offer praise to Lancer's abilities, everything from his unyielding fighting spirit in the recent battle to his flames that made him seem like a burning phoenix. The silver knight could practically feel is unwavering bravery and iron will. Despite that, the golden spearman had radiated a cold and unapproachable aura.

The blonde knight lamented that he could not finish his duel with Lancer due to the craven orders of his Master Kiritsugu. Even if Saber lost that fight, he would have been content with meeting a superior opponent in fair combat. As a knight, he did not fear death. The fact that Saber could not give Lancer the battle he deserved indeed rankled the silver knight. The fact that Kiritsugu also chose to not confer with him in the fight's aftermath was also an additional insult.

Still, regardless of the foes that stood in Saber's path, he had to continue forward in order to achieve his dream.

A world where people would not have to suffer.

* * *

The half-completed skeleton of the Fuyuki Center shopping mall rose up some thirty-eight stories. When the forty-story building would be completed, it would hold the title of the tallest building in Fuyuki. However, for the moment, that title belonged to the Fuyuki Hyatt which was situated right next to the half-constructed building.

Right now Assassin sat as still as a statue as she observed the form of Kayneth Archibald in the distant room below. Despite the darkness, her own sharp eyesight was not troubled by the lack of light. Tokiomi had ordered Kirei to observe Kayneth Archibald and his Servant. With Tokiomi's connections, it was easy to find out where the Lord El-Melloi was staying. With that, Assassin had been dispatched to observe.

In truth, Tokiomi was currently more occupied with developing strategies against Saber or Rider, who had already shown up. However, the mysterious nature of Servant Archer was also a concern, especially with the fact that Archer had not revealed his Noble Phantasm yet or any other special abilities. Tokiomi was confident in his Servant's strength but true to his cautious nature he wanted to figure out everything about the enemy Servants before he committed to a full-scale offensive. Out of the three Knight classes, Archer was the only one who had not shown his face.

Currently, Assassin could sense a Servant's presence in spirit form on the hotel roof. The obvious guess would be that it was Archer, now standing guard over the hotel for any intruders. Most likely his Master was wary of Rider's flying Noble Phantasm and wanted to take precautions against it.

Unknown to Archer or Assassin, a third Servant was watching the hotel in the shadows of a nearby alleyway. In the alley's darkness, Servant Berserker watched the tourists leave before turning his attention to the Fuyuki Hyatt.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Apparently Nasuverse Jekyll worked with Sherlock Holmes. That was part of what inspired him to make the elixir.

It's rather ironic, but the Berserker-class Servant is the voice of reason on Team Matou. Unlike in canon Kariya has Jekyll as a sounding board for his motivations and thoughts.

I should address this since I've been getting this suggestion on a few reviews. The Caster of this fic will be Gilles de Rais. I did contemplate setting up Mephistopheles with Uryuu. It seemed like an interesting idea but I decided that Mephisto did not fit the role I wanted for Team Caster in this story. That was something that was decided in the planning process for their fic before I posted the first chapter. The Servant lineup was already decided beforehand.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:** Here's the sixth chapter.

In addition, the scenes between Archer and Kayneth in the last Chapter have been rewritten with some minor changes in accordance to some feedback for the last Chapter. The Berserker flashback also had some minor changes.

* * *

 **Of Relics and Men-Chapter 6**

Sola-Ui sat bored in the chair, idly studying her nails. To any observer, she was apparently trying to pass the time. Yet Archer could clearly see the inner despair that she held in her eyes.

At this moment she could only idly speculate on the outcome of the Holy Grail War. Though she hadn't inherited her family's crest, she was a trained magus herself. Her first-class circuits that were currently powering Archer. She came from a long and prestigious magical line that rivaled Kayneth's family. Thus her arranged marriage to the Archibald clan was only a natural course of events in the face of her brother Bram's failure to properly succeed her father as the head of the family.

Thus she had sent her familiars to watch the battles that were taking place around Fuyuki, the same as any other Master. She certainly hadn't been interested in this contest, having been dragged to Japan by Kayneth. However, she also figured that the battle between Heroic Spirits was a once in a lifetime event. She had to grudgingly admit that the fight between the Servants was spectacular and awe-inspiring. It was a rare privilege to watch the beings who surpassed humanity show off all the majesty and power of the legends. Even if she couldn't follow the battle, the fights had been exciting regardless.

She didn't really have high expectations for Kayneth winning, though. It wasn't as if she thought Kayneth was weak. No, for all her reluctance to marry him, she did acknowledge he was a first-class magus in all aspects. No, with her it was more like apathy. This contest was nothing more than a passing amusement to her, a chore to be endured until she could return to the high society of the Clock Tower again.

When she returned to England her wedding preparations would be completed, she mused to herself with a mental sigh of resignation. Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi might have been a powerful noble, but he certainly wasn't very handsome or gentlemanly. Not like Archer.

As Kayneth's co-master in this war, she had been privy to his true identity, as the great sage Chiron. He was entirely unlike Kayneth. Archer wasn't arrogant or cruel at all. He was calm and welcoming, with a friendly and serene presence. The sage was handsome and kind, treating her with respect and politeness. He was an absolute gentleman. She couldn't deny that she was attracted to him. However, that was as far as it went. Lacking anything to fan the flames of attraction, Archer just remained a figure of admiration, like an expensive car one couldn't afford.

She got up and stretched her legs. As luxurious as the accommodations of the Fuyuki Hyatt had been, in truth, Sola-Ui was bored of sitting behind Kayneth's defenses. She longed to go out and indulge her elegant side, that part of her was a high-class lady. She felt like a caged bird here. She wished something interesting would happen soon.

Then, as if to answer her question, she felt a sharp pain in her body as the Bounded Field right outside the door detected an intruder. Scarcely Sola-Ui had time to compose herself when the doors to the room exploded.

* * *

People milled around the Fuyuki Hyatt's lobby. They were tourists from overseas as well as travelers from other parts of Japan. The hotel was a popular destination for these sorts of wealthy people. As the most expensive and advanced building in Fuyuki, it towered over the rest of the city.

Berserker walked through the lobby, glancing at the crowds of humanity. He blended in perfectly, just appearing to be another foreign tourist. Certainly, his handsome and delicate features drew admiring looks from some of the women, but otherwise he was incognito.

It had been a century since his time, but still, Berserker was amazed at how much humanity had advanced. While making his way along the city streets, he could only marvel at the sort of architecture that had been improved from his time. It was something that made Berserker feel optimistic about the current world he was in.

He had been born into the wealthy upper class, and as such he could appreciate such luxuries. From what he had gathered, this hotel was the premier hotel in Fuyuki. The style of this beautiful establishment satisfied his aesthetic sense.

However, that was not his purpose for visiting the Fuyuki Hyatt. With a calm focus, he darted through the crowds to approach the stairs.

After Berserker's proposal, he and Kariya set out to target the enemy Masters. Tokiomi was guarded by the mighty Lancer and probably expecting another attack. Rider's Master was mobile in his flying Noble Phantasm. Both Caster and Assassin were currently hidden. That left Saber and Archer who could be found. Berserker elected to go after Archer's Master. Even if Archer possessed the Independent Action skill, he would be weakened by the loss of his prana supply.

From what Master Kariya had been able to find out with his familiars, Archer's Master now occupied the Fuyuki Hyatt's top floor. There was little information beyond that, except that the hotel was obviously going to be heavily fortified by the magus.

Indeed, as Berserker moved up the stairs, he encountered the multiple levels of Bounded Fields. In his initial inspections, he could tell that they were extensive indeed, covering at least half of the building's floors. Measuring twenty-four levels, Archer's Master had filled this place with magecraft traps and Bounded Fields. Attacking the defenses head on would be hazardous. Even if he was no magus, the Servant could tell these defenses were formidable. Indeed, any regular Servant would have been detected. However, Berserker was no ordinary Servant. By utilizing his Presence Concealment, he could have a good chance of success in bypassing said defenses.

It was a difficult task, but Berserker was able to bypass much of the defenses as he carefully infiltrated the Fuyuki Hyatt. This success was due to his unique qualities of his current body. As long as he did not make any offensive preparations, he could use his Presence Concealment ability to stay unnoticed as he moved through the hotel's defenses.

At last, he stopped at the thirty-first floor. While no magus, he understood that at this point the enemy's defenses grew too dense for him to proceed further like this. Even he could not enter Kayneth's workshop unnoticed. Now the time for subtlety had ended.

Bounded Fields and magecraft defenses were concentrated most heavily here. Even so, in his transformed state, he had the brute strength to smash through it with sheer force. Had these defenses been the Temple-class barrier of a proper Caster-class Servant, then things might have been different, but this magic barrier posed only a moderate obstacle to Berserker.

Regardless, attacking a magus in the heart of his workshop was always a daunting prospect, especially if they had a Servant to aid them. Despite this, Berserker felt he should take the risk and try to kill the enemy Master. Even being hindered by the Bounded Field, he was still more than a match for a magus.

The blonde-haired youth took a deep breath before pulling out his Noble Phantasm.

''Dangerous Game,'' he invoked his Noble Phantasm.

His transformation occurred again for the second time. Throughout his body, his cells underwent change. With that, his muscles bulged and expanded, his body size increasing as his other personality took hold. His parameters skyrocketed, and his eyes turned crimson red as a violent haze painted over his mind. Like a thundering train, he smashed his way through the door.

* * *

Kayneth definitely did not expect this.

He had high expectations for the defenses he had set up. After all, he was the superior magus in this war. It wasn't like the Lord El-Melloi was taking the Three Great Families lightly, but he had absolute confidence in his magical pedigree and skill. Entire floors had been dedicated to Bounded Fields and summoned wraith familiars who would make it a suicidal prospect for any magus. He had stationed Archer on the rooftop. There the Servant would wait in case anyone tried to access the roof. In fact, Archer had good compatibility with the Fuyuki Hyatt. As the tallest building in the city, he could best utilize his Clairvoyance skill to spot Servants before they arrived. With this, Kayneth felt confident that his defenses were secure.

When he had detected the breach, he had prepared to confront an exhausted Master who had somehow managed to make it past his defenses. That is why he was surprised that Servant Berserker of all people had managed to bypass his magical defenses.

Sola-Ui stood in horror and fear as a massive black shape smashed his way through the door to their hotel suite with absolute ease. Splinters of wood flew everywhere as the huge figure drew himself up and let out an insane roar.

''RRRRRRRRARRAGGHHHHHHHH!'' Berserker screamed. It was a blast of negativity, the very incarnation of insanity and evil itself. There wasn't any doubt in either Kayneth or Sola-Ui's minds that this creature was a monster.

Kayneth himself stood paralyzed with shock and fear that Berserker had somehow managed to get here. After a second, the synapses in his brain began to fire again and direct him to some means of fighting Berserker. It went without saying that Kayneth had no chance of defeating a Heroic Spirit in battle. However, escape or survival might be possible.

It was true that Berserker didn't have the Magic Resistance skill. However, there was no spell that Kayneth had that was powerful enough to hurt Berserker that he could cast in that short period. At best, Kayneth would need a ten-count chant or a Grand Ritual with several prepared mystic codes. Berserker would not give him that time.

Archer himself had been stationed on the rooftop as a sniper, so at the moment the Servant could not intervene.

However, the nobleman did have one Mystic Code that he always kept at his side.

''Fervor Mei Sanguis!''

Before Kayneth's body, a silver shell of liquid mercury expanded to form a temporary shield in front of Berserker. Yet scarcely had the Mystic Code formed a defensive barrier, it was smashed aside by Berserker's fists. Volumen Hydrargyrum might be a strong defense against magecraft and modern weapons, but it paled against the power of a Heroic Spirit.

So it was that Berserker lunged forward, claws extended, to rip Kayneth to shreds. Striking forward like an onrushing train car, the Servant blew past Sola-Ui, the tip of his bulk catching her and sending her flying into the nearby wall. Instantly all the bones in her arm and shoulder were shattered. Had she directly collided with Berserker, she would have been killed instantly.

As for Kayneth himself, he could only stand like a deer in the headlights for the onrushing doom to claim him.

Then through the ceiling came three bursts of starlight.

It is with great clarity and dexterity that Archer realized the danger when Berserker appeared and he hurried as quickly as he could to Kayneth's side. While Archer could not reach them in time to directly halt Berserker, he was able to intervene with his archery ability. Using his Clairvoyance skill, Archer peered through the wall of the hotel and made a series of swift judgments with his mind. Carefully calculating Berserker's trajectory, he prepared three arrows laden with magical energy and fired them.

They collided with Berserker's shoulder and chest, knocking him back two feet and causing him to miss Kayneth. It's the sort of incredible feat that no average human could have hoped to accomplish, but someone with divine genius and wisdom like Archer could accomplish such a feat.

Having scarcely shot those arrows, Archer moved through the roof in spirit form before turning into his physical form as he hit the ground gracefully. In doing so, he intercepted Berserker's advance towards Kayneth.

''That's enough,'' Archer spoke firmly, regarding the black-furred monster in front of him. Quickly, his mind took stock of the situation.

 _The defenses of his Master's workshop had been breached._

 _Lady Sola-Ui was unconscious and wounded._

 _Kayneth was at her side and unprepared for combat._

 _Berserker excels at close combat. Berserker is in close quarters. Even being hindered by the Bounded Field, he's still a threat._

 _Civilians are still in the building._

 _-Therefore._

Archer calmly started his plan.

He fired two arrows charged with prana into Berserker's knees as the enemy Servant moved. Each one promptly blew out Berserker's kneecaps, causing the mad beast to stumble. Then without missing a beat, Archer prepared another three arrows weaved from prana onto his bow and fired them into Berserker's chest, aiming for his heart and lungs.

Even among Heroic Spirits, few archers could maintain point-blank archery with any effectiveness. The fact that Chiron can do so even in the case of a rapidly moving opponent is a testament to his dexterity and fire discipline.

The black beast reached him and lashed out with sharp claws, aiming for Archer's throat. Smoothly, Archer ducked beneath the blow and thrust an arrow charged with prana into Berserker's stomach like a javelin, the attack ripping a large hole in Berserker's body. Then the bowman swept his foot around and kicked out Berserker's legs under him. Despite his relative inexperience with human legs, Archer's depth of knowledge and skill allowed him to execute martial arts with his lower limbs as well.

The mad beast screamed as Archer then swiftly grabbed his enemy's right arm and stomped down with great force, smashing the bones in the arm to pieces. His wrestling technique was both precise and merciless, a testament to his skill at Pankration, the Greek art of wrestling.

Yet despite that, it was not enough to defeat Berserker. One arm lashed out at Archer, sending the other Servant flying. Berserker then got up, his wounds regenerating. The broken arm fixed itself back into place with a sickening snap. Archer landed on the side of the room on both feet.

Archer grimaced from the pain. The beast's claws had cut through his leather breastplate and to his ribs. They had missed his spiritual core, but it was still a notable wound on Archer's body. Calmly he pushed aside the pain and prepared another arrow for his bow.

Berserker charged again at Kayneth, jaws, and teeth ready. However, he was knocked back by another arrow to the legs, causing him to stumble.

''Your opponent is over here!'' Archer called before firing another two arrows, right in each of Berserker's eyes, temporarily blinding him. The mad beast howled and lashed out with his claws, splintering furniture like cheap toys.

A skillful kick to the jaw caught Berserker off guard as Archer closed in, smoothly firing more arrows at Berserker's vital points. The black-furred monster pulled out the arrows from his eyes as he regenerated and tried to counter Archer, who dodged his barrage of attacks. The bowman's perception was already on the level of future sight.

Berserker had the advantage in brute force, but Archer was more skilled and agile. The bowman brought around his fist quickly to punch Berserker in the jaw before slamming another charged arrow through his shoulder joint.

Berserker was sustaining damage enough to kill an average Servant, yet Archer could see that was not sufficient. Using his transcendent vision, the bowman peered into Berserker's body. Then he understood why his opponent was still standing. It was the same as last night. Berserker had a body that transformed into the optimal form according to the situation. He must then have some self-modification ability.

At this current level, Archer's attacks could not kill him. Now the highest priority was shifting the battlefield.

The bowman moved to dodge another strike from the mad Servant's claws before turning back. Driven by bloodlust, the other Servant followed him. More arrows whistled through the air to hit Berserker's body, but he paid them no mind as he tried to get to grips with the agile enemy.

The enemy Servant threw himself at Archer who calmly stood his ground. His back was to the hotel room window. Only ten feet away was Kayneth and Sola-Ui. Rapidly, the grotesque beast closed with the bowman, his jaws bared for the kill.

Then Archer smoothly ducked under Berserker's attack and grabbed him by the arm before throwing him through the glass window. The window shattered into a thousand shards of glass as the howling form of Berserker was tossed out the hotel.

As the glass shattered, the mad warrior fell screaming through the top-story window to land in the half-constructed Fuyuki shopping mall that was being built up directly beside the Fuyuki Hyatt. Berserker fell through the floor and into building below. Floors collapsed beneath him, and steel beams fell upon the Servant from the impact.

In all, it was a carefully calculated and elegantly executed maneuver. In one fell swoop, Archer had moved Berserker away from his Master and into a different building, one also away from any innocent bystanders.

Over thirty arrows now riddled Berserker's body. What would be fatal injuries to any other Servant only slowed down the Servant of Madness, who had the inhuman constitution granted to him by his Noble Phantasm. If there was a time to try for a killing blow it was now, Archer decided, preparing to use his Noble Phantasm.

Peering through the darkness and right through the walls of the neighboring building, Archer's peerless vision observed the form of Berserker getting up. With his Clairvoyance, he saw right into Berserker's internal organs and spiritual body. If he could strike his spiritual core, then he could end this battle quickly.

It's a risk. The enemy Servant is resilient and hard to kill. Archer can surmise that much. However, this Servant had already breached his Master's workshop once and who's to say that he couldn't do it again? It might be a gamble, but the risk was one that Archer decided was worth taking.

With that, the bowman readied his trump card. Antares Snipe: _Heavenly Scorpion Shot._

Strictly speaking, Archer never possessed this Noble Phantasm during his lifetime. Instead, it was a Noble Phantasm crystallized from the legacy he left behind. As the Sagittarius in the sky, Chiron had left his name behind for thousands of years. This Noble Phantasm was born from the anecdotes of the Sagittarius centaur always being ready to shoot.

It wasn't a passively activated-type Noble Phantasm like Lancer's armor or Assassin's body. Among the ranks of the Heroic Spirits, many types of Noble Phantasms only displayed their real power with the invocation of their true name. Such as a cursed spear that reversed causality or a dragon-slaying sword of twilight. Chiron's Noble Phantasm was an irregularity even among Heroic Spirits.

As such Archer did not even have to call out Antares Snipe's true name or even to use magical energy to activate the weapon. This Noble Phantasm would activate on its own. It was truly an irregular ability among Noble Phantasms. However, Antares Snipe wasn't an ability without weakness. It could be used only once per night. That's why, despite being Archer's strongest and most accurate attack, he had to be careful with it.

So, without even forming words, the bowman moved his fingers away from his bowstring and invoked his Noble Phantasm.

From above, a silver streak of light filled the sky for a second, cutting through the walls of the neighboring building. Then there was another howl from below.

Looking down in the building with trepidation, Archer could see the results of his action.

He frowned as he saw the result.

''So that's what happened,'' he noted grimly.

In other words, his most negative expectations were confirmed. Berserker had survived the attack.

Berserker's injuries were horrific indeed. Looking with his divine eyesight, Archer could see that one of Berserker's arms was hanging by a strip of flesh and half of the mad Servant's chest was gone. Yet he was still alive.

''You shifted your spiritual core around?'' Archer murmured to himself. That was his best guess. Berserker had managed to modify his body enough to avoid death. The mad beast's durability was truly quite impressive in retrospect, having survived attacks from Lancer and Rider. Even Archer's trump card did not kill him.

Archer's gamble had failed, and Berserker still lived. Yet despite that, things were going in his favor.

From behind, the sage could sense the Bounded Fields around the Hyatt's rooms being reactivated where Berserker had breached them. Kayneth had apparently gone to repair them during the fight. Not wasting a second, Archer acted in sync with his Master and raised his ash-carved bow to continue attacking Berserker.

But he did not need to be concerned about that. After a few seconds, the mad Servant gave off a loud groan and disappeared into spirit form before moving off into the night. Perhaps Berserker's Master had commanded him to retreat for now. Or maybe Berserker himself instinctively understood that the tides of battle were no longer in his favor and the element of surprise was lost. Whatever the case, the mad Servant disappeared.

Usually, Archer would have turned into spirit form as well and chased after him, but his Master and his wife still required his attentions. He put away his bow and turned around to see the blue coat of his Master as Kayneth met him.

''Archer, is Berserker gone?'' Kayneth questioned in a stressed tone. His coat was caked with dust, and his features were panicked. Kayneth was concerned. Not for himself, but for Sola-Ui.

''Yes, I believe he-'' Archer began.

''Then go help Sola-Ui! Aren't you a healer?'' Kayneth continued urgently.

Of course, Kayneth himself knew healing magecraft, but it wasn't his area of expertise. Meanwhile, Archer himself was renowned for his wisdom as a healer.

''Of course, I shall tend to her wounds,'' the centaur nodded and moved off.

* * *

''Archer engaged Berserker before the other Servant eventually gave up and retreated in spirit form,'' Maiya told Kiritsugu curtly. Currently, both she and Kiritsugu were in a room in the Einzbern castle. Maiya's familiars had just delivered the report. From her familiars, Maiya had spotted the fight when observing Archibald's base. Though it was difficult for her to follow the high-speed battle of the Heroic Spirits, she had gleaned that Berserker had eventually retreated, most likely from him losing the element of surprise.

Kiritsugu sat down after taking a whiff of smoke from his cigarette. Berserker's attack was an unexpected thing. While his attack on the El-Melloi faction might have prompted a unique opportunity for Kiritsugu himself to assassinate Kayneth, undoubtedly Kayneth had retreated at this point and grown moreparanoidd. In other words, his guard would now be up.

''Did you catch any other unique details about Archer?'' Kiritsugu asked.

''If Archer used his Noble Phantasm, I did not hear any true name invocation. I did think he used some sort of special attack,'' Maiya replied.

''How troublesome. A Noble Phantasm would have at least given us a clue to Archer's true identity,'' The Magus Killer nodded. He took another drag from the cigarette.

''Anything new on Berserker?'' he asked.

''No, I have no idea how he managed to appear like that,'' Maiya admitted.

Berserker was probably the least stealthy Servant one might expect, given the class typically had all the subtlety of a wrecking ball. But this Berserker seemed to have some form of Presence Concealment given how he was able to ambush people repeatedly. That was troubling, to think this was a Heroic Spirit with a skill typically limited to the Assassin class.

''We don't have any solid leads on Berserker's identity either,'' noted Saber's master.

''Perhaps he's a figure connected to the werewolf legend, like King Lycaeon or Peter Stumpp?'' Maiya speculated.

''That's possible, but Berserker isn't identical to the demihuman lycanthropes that I've heard of. But someone with a connection of insanity and beasts doesn't narrow down the list very much. Norse folklore is rife with those sorts of heroes,'' Kiritsugu noted.

''Archer didn't display any notable traits, other than wearing ancient-style leather armor and using an arrow attack from above,'' his assistant gave her own observation.

''Figuring how Archer's true identity is something that we need to find out. I believe Saber's powerful enough to defeat Berserker,'' Kiritsugu thought back to his Servant.

He had been disappointed by his Servant's initial failure against Lancer, someone he had believed to be a weak Servant. However, after some review, he had realized that Lancer was stronger than he appeared. The golden warrior had a powerful Noble Phantasm. As far as he could tell, that golden armor that the white-haired Servant wore was definitely a Noble Phantasm, one that reduced even A-Rank attacks to scratches. A defense like that would definitely make Lancer a troublesome opponent to fight.

That hadn't given them many clues to Lancer's identity either. Magical suits of armor or divine blessings weren't unknown in myth. Like the suit of divine armor worn by the hero Esfandiyār for example, or the suits of armor forged by Hephaestus during the Trojan War for various heroes. Of course, Lancer's defense might be something more abstract like Siegfried's dragon-blooded skin or Achilles' divine blessing.

As powerful as Lancer was, Kiritsugu wasn't too worried when dealing with him. Doubtlessly he was a Servant who expended a large amount of magical energy, as befitting a mighty hero. Kiritsugu would just have to assassinate his Master, Tokiomi, and let Lancer fade away from the rapid mana drain.

Of course, if it came to a battle, Kiritsugu was confident that Saber's EX-Rank Noble Phantasm could defeat Lancer. Even if the minimum of seven constraints could not be unlocked, Saber could still utilize the holy sword's ability with six or fewer seals. While still weaker than it's full power, it was still a formidable Anti-Fortress attack. It wasn't an ideal situation to Kiritsugu, who despised fair fights, but it was a ''Plan B'' he could fall back on if needed.

Berserker's main danger was his ability to operate with stealth, just like the ability that Assassin has. That being said, Berserker wasn't that strong and in a frontal battle Saber should prevail. Otherwise, he could merely kill Berserker's Master and deal with the mad warrior in that fashion.

''What about Rider then?'' Maiya pushed forth.

''…I don't understand how an idiot like that managed to conquer the world,'' Kiritsugu mused.

''Still, he and Archer are the most troubling opponents right now. Rider keeps his Master inside that A-Rank flying Noble Phantasm of his, making Velvet hard to target. Archer possesses the ability of Independent Action, meaning he can still fight even without a Master,'' Kiritsugu continued.

''Caster doesn't even need to be said,'' Maiya nodded. With the A-Rank Magic Resistance that Saber possessed, defeating Caster would be easy.

''If another Master doesn't slay Caster first, then that's a Servant that can be dealt with at leisure,'' Kiritsugu agreed. At least for Kiritsugu's strategy, his pawn Saber, would only be required to defeat two Servants in a frontal battle. Every other Master could be simply assassinated.

''What about Assassin?'' Maiya brought up.

The Magus Killer went silent for a moment.

''…I don't entirely trust the idea that the younger Kotomine is an enemy to the Tohsaka Master. Have your familiars try to find his location,'' Kiritsugu said.

The Magus Killer had fought and killed many Dead Apostles and Sealing Designates in his time as an assassin. However, there was something about that strange priest that greatly disturbed Kiritsugu Emiya.

* * *

''Archer's parameters are around the level of your Lancer. Strength B, Endurance B, Agility A+, Mana B, Luck C…,'' Kirei reported through the transmission device that Tokiomi had set up. It was a phonograph contraption involving jewel magecraft. With the application of magical energy, it would act as a prana conductor. It was an irregular method that differed from the phones that modern people used, but it was ideal for a traditional magus like the Tohsaka family head.

''I see. Archer is definitely a notable Heroic Spirit,'' Tokiomi sat back, deep in thought. He was currently seated in his workshop. Next to him was Lancer in spirit form.

Kirei's Assassin had naturally spotted the fight between Archer and Berserker. She had observed it, and Kirei had, in turn, reported to his master Tokiomi. Along the way, they finally managed to catch a glimpse of the elusive Archer. Tokiomi had been concerned that the last of the three Knight Classes had not yet done anything directly in the conflict so far, but now they could gather information on him.

''What actually troubles me is that Archer did not use his Noble Phantasm. Or at least nothing that I could recognize that might be a Noble Phantasm,'' Tokiomi noted.

''My Servant has found nothing about that so far, except for the speculation that it might be some sort of passively activated ability like Lancer's armor,'' the priest responded to him.

''Then Archer might possess something capable of defeating Lancer despite the Kavacha and Kundala,'' Tokiomi mused.

The Tohsaka patriarch paused and closed his eyes, bringing forth his Master's vision that had been granted to him by the Holy Grail. One by one he reviewed the information that his ally had gathered.

Indeed Lancer' golden armor Noble Phantasm made him practically invincible. Against even A-Rank Noble Phantasms he could survive. Tokiomi firmly regarded his victory as assured if he was able to have Lancer retain his Kavacha and Kundala. However, as faint as it was, the other Servants might possess something that could negate it, like an Anti-Divine Noble Phantasm, or an EX-Rank Noble Phantasm of such power that even one-tenth could kill Lancer. Those possibilities were unlikely, but Tokiomi was willing to be cautious in this case.

At the very least, Tokiomi needs information on Caster the most, as he knows almost nothing about the spell-wielding Servant. Rider is a powerful and formidable foe, but Tokiomi knows his actual name. Also, Iskandar is commanded by an inexperienced and weak magus of no concern. Lancer could defeat him.

Saber was a notable threat, but Tokiomi was confident that Lancer could defeat him in a one-on-one battle, as Lancer had shown last night during the attack on the mansion. Berserker's stealth abilities were also a concern, but Lancer could handle him as well.

Caster was a complete unknown at this point. That was something the fire magus had to investigate before he proceeded. Kirei's Assassin was his disposable pawn and something that would be sacrificed once Tokiomi gave the command.

Indeed, due to her Noble Phantasm, Tokiomi had hoped that he would be able to utilize her to achieve a double-kill on an enemy Servant. While Assassin would certainly be cut down by another Servant in direct combat, she might be able to make a fatal blow with her poisonous body as she was defeated. Indeed, her very blood was highly toxic. Such was the weapon the Hashashin created.

Of course, there was still Lancer's ultimate trump card. Vasavi Shakti: _O Sun Abide to Death_. However, Tokiomi was loath to utilize that weapon unless there was no other option. Indra's javelin was truly a double-edged blade in that regard.

''At least, for now, continue to monitor the situation. Have Assassin pay close attention to Caster,'' Tokiomi instructed.

''Of course,'' Kirei complied and cut out the connection.

With that taken care of, Tokiomi sat back in the comfortable chair. Regardless of his worries about Archer, Tokiomi is confident of his victory. After all, he has summoned the first-rate Heroic Spirit who towers above all others. He has no doubt Lancer is the strongest Servant of this war.

* * *

Assassin moved through the household. She noted the sprays of blood that decorated the walls alongside the corpses of the parents who had been killed earlier. As far as she could gather, it had been Caster who had done this. He had broken into the house at midnight with magecraft and then butchered the inhabitants.

Why he had done so had made no sense. As far as Assassin could tell, these people were civilians who had nothing to do with the Holy Grail War. Was it possible that he was trying to power himself by killing people? If so then why in such a careless matter?

Caster had not bothered to clean up the evidence of his magecraft. He had instead moved on, leaving this trail of slaughter behind him. For the Masters, the rule of secrecy was critical in the Holy Grail War. If Caster violated that law, then that was a big problem. Her Master and Tokiomi would not be happy about this.

Then she paused as he heard movements. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a shape.

It was a mass of tentacles surrounding a fanged maw. This thing was not a creature native to this world but rather some demonic monster summoned from another world. At once Assassin realized that this was one of Caster's familiars. She guessed that Caster might have left a familiar like this to kill any interlopers who tried to pursue him. She could not let something like this lying around for bystanders to find out, so she dropped her Presence Concealment and brandished a trio of daggers built with prana.

She then threw them with bullet-like speed, ripping through the center mass of the creature. The thing thrashed about as it died and its tentacles flopped on the ground. Assassin grimaced at the foul smell of the creature's remains. A creature like this could devour a grown man in seconds.

Then, two more shapes emerged from the shadows behind Assassin and moved to surround her. With tentacles, they wrapped around her limbs and prepared to devour her flesh. Yet Assassin hardly reacted to her body being restrained by the snake-like arms of these horrors. After a second, the two sea demons dropped to the ground and dissolved as they died. The highly potent poisons of Assassin's body had slain them, proving to be too much even for their otherworldly physiologies.

With that, Assassin turned around and made a clean sweep of the residence. She had found no other evidence as she made her way through the household. That was good as Caster had not left any other surprises lying in wait for investigators.

For now, at least, Assassin had to report back to her Master. Only then would action be taken.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

I should probably clarify that this time, Kariya did not use a Command Spell to withdraw Berserker from his fight at the Hyatt. In this case, even insane, Hyde understood that he had lost the element of surprise in the ambush and elected to withdraw to attack again later. I suppose while even Jekyll didn't know how durable he was, he wasn't going to test his limits in that case.

Since there is no official profile for the Hassan of Serenity, I've compiled one for this fic.

 **Class:** Assassin  
 **Master:** Kirei Kotomine  
 **True Name:** Hassan-i Sabbah  
 **Gender:** Female  
Height/Weight: 161 cm/42kg  
 **Alignment:** Lawful Evil

 **Parameters:**

Strength: D  
Endurance: D  
Agility: A+  
Mana: C  
Luck: A  
Noble Phantasm: C

 **Class Skills:**

Presence Concealment: A+

Hides one's presence as a Servant. Suitable for spying. It is possible to disappear completely and become almost impossible to be detected, even against a Servant's perception. However, efficiency will decrease once preparations to attack are taken.

 **Personal Skills:**

Independent Action: A

The ability to act without a Master's magical supply. Normally limited to the Archer class, Assassin has this due to her long-term infiltration methods.

Poison Resistance: A

Ability to resist poison. At this rank one is immune to practically all toxins. This skill is a necessary byproduct of her Noble Phantasm.

Shapeshift: C

Ability to change appearance and form. Assassin usually uses this to assume normal facial features. In Assassin's case this skill is specialized towards infiltration.

Projectiles (Daggers): C

Ability to throw daggers like bullets. Assassin's daggers are formed from her prana.

 **Noble Phantasm:**

 **Zabaniya: _Delusional Poison Body_**  
Rank: C  
Type: Anti-Unit (Self)  
Range: 0  
Maximum Amount of Targets: 1 person

The Hashashin'sattempt at replicating the ''Visha Kanya''of Indiian mythology. Her body is transformed into a mass of poison. Everything from her nails to hair to secretions is poison. It's capable of even killing high-ranking Phantasmal Beasts. This ability is also capable of widespread use by spreading secretions into the air.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note** : This is Chapter 7.

* * *

 **Of Relics and Men-Chapter Seven  
**

* * *

''My father has asked for a temporary truce,'' Kirei told his Servant.

Assassin stood before her Master in Kirei's temporary hideout. It was still daylight outside, but the room was still shrouded in darkness, illuminated by only a few candles.

It was only natural for members of the Three Great Families to make additional preparations for the Holy Grail War. Tokiomi had set up some other safehouses in case his mansion was destroyed. He let Kirei have one of these safehouses to hide out in the war.

The priest set down his fork, leaving the freshly emptied bowl of mapo tofu to cool a bit. Even though she was wearing a mask, Assassin has grimaced a little at seeing Kirei finish his lunch. Seeing him scarf down the blazing hot tofu was a bit uncomfortable for her. A delicacy of the Sichuan providence in China, it was something that Kirei had recently taken a liking too. The fact that this safehouse was located near the Hongzhou Feast Hall in Fuyuki was also a particular blessing as far as Kirei was concerned.

Earlier this morning, based on reports from Assassin, Risei had asked the participants of the war to suspend hostilities temporarily to eliminate the renegade Caster. The secret of magecraft was in jeopardy of being discovered, thanks to Caster's careless actions. At first glance, one might think that with six other Servants converging on Caster, the killer would not last long. But how many of the Masters would cooperate?

''It would be okay if the other Servants eliminate Caster. However, that was just a secondary plan. Tokiomi has another task for you,'' Kirei went on.

It would also be ideal for Assassin for handle this discreetly and quickly so that the Holy Grail War could go back on track. That was the original plan that Kirei had laid out. After some more discussion with Risei, Tokiomi had proposed a different solution to the problem. It was a solution that would hopefully benefit Kirei.

The Master who eliminated Caster would earn an extra Command Spell from the mediator. Kirei had already spent one Command Spell to restrain Assassin from killing him or Tokiomi with her poison. Both Tokiomi and Kirei knew how much the latter's Servant chafed to act as a pawn for the Tohsaka camp. She would eventually attempt some rebellion. That much was evident.

Kirei had two more Command Spells to utilize against Assassin if she tried to rebel. If she had been a regular Servant, then it wouldn't be a problem. However, Assassin possessed a high-ranking Independent Action skill that made her troublesome to handle. In that light, another Command Spell would always be useful for such a troublesome Servant. To make Tokiomi's plans proceed as smoothly as possible, it was a good idea for Kirei to refill his stock. After all, Tokiomi regarded Kirei's set of Command Spells as merely another set granted to the Tohsaka Master.

''So your mission now is to track down and eliminate Caster and his Master. At the very least, remove his Master,'' Kirei told her.

Assassin nodded, understanding his thoughts. Caster would disappear without a prana source or a contract. However, the ideal solution would be to eliminate them both if possible. Otherwise, Caster might be able to contract with another Master. The current situation had no other Servants slain yet, but that could change quickly.

It was true that the Caster class was dominant within their territory. Among the Servants, they are the class that excels at siege battles due to their ability of Territory Creation. Even so, Casters were traditionally weak in close-quarter combat. It was difficult, but it might be possible for Assassin to close in and take out Caster before he had a chance to use magecraft. While it was true the Assassin-class was ill-suited to a frontal attack; they did boast a high Agility rank comparable to proper heroes like the Knight classes. The Hassan of Serenity regarded herself as the fastest Servant of this Holy Grail War, so it should be something possible for her.

''What of the other Masters who are hunting for Caster?'' Assassin asked.

''If they expose themselves, then try for an assassination. Only do so if you are confident that you can succeed though. Your skills as a scout are still required,'' the Executor instructed her.

''I see,'' Assassin nodded.

''Lancer will be participating in the hunt as well. If you can drive Caster out of his territory, then endeavor to lead Caster to Lancer,'' Kirei went on.

Of course, the ideal situation for the Tohsaka camp would be for Tokiomi to require another Command Spell. Even if Lancer is the most obedient of the Servants, another Command Spell would only help.

Assassin understood this, though she had mixed feelings about Caster.

On the one hand, she expected to confront another Servant. She did not expect the Holy Grail to summon such a Heroic Spirit as _this_. He was someone who butchered and slaughtered children with a sadistic glee that made even Assassin's stomach quail. It was true she had indeed killed many on her time, but always for a purpose or her creed. It was never to satisfy a sadistic need. Each death had been executed in a precisely calculated way for a greater cause. Even if she were to kill bystanders to obtain prana, she would balk at killing children.

Even more than that, she liked children. Her body could never give birth to children in her lifetime. Despite that, she had always carried some affection for them. At the very least they represented a dream that she couldn't have.

Did her Master feel the same? As a member of his Church shouldn't he feel outraged?

Indeed, Assassin herself knew full well what it was like to deviate from the proper conduct.

If a Hassan lost their way or failed in their duties then only one fate could await them. The revered First would come like the very embodiment of death itself. Indeed, that is how she herself was slain in life. Her mind and soul had been filled with turmoil after a lifetime of assassination. She had placed happiness within her reach and then stole it away from herself.

In the end, she had confessed herself to the foreign general she was supposed to kill. It was the same as throwing away her pride as the Old Man of the Mountain.

As a matter of course, she had lost her head after that. The Angel of Death had taken her life.

''I understand Master. I shall embark at nightfall,'' Assassin bowed. She would first have to locate Caster's workshop before she made any attempts to kill him.

With that, she disappeared into the shadows.

* * *

''Ah, there. That should be fine now,'' Archer said in a soft tone of voice as he finished checking over Sola-Ui's arm.

''Thank you, Archer,'' Sola-Ui said, her tone more quiet than usual. She had not yet fully recovered from the mental shock of Berserker's attack.

Her arm and shoulder were in a sort of cast that Archer had made for her. Archer had seen to her immediately after he had returned from his fight with Berserker, all at Kayneth's behest.

Having her arm shattered like that was a severe injury. However, Archer was known for his ability as a healer, having learned from Apollo and having taught the great Greek physician Asclepius. His skills surpassed any healing magecraft known by Kayneth or Sola-Ui. Right now Kayneth had taken a more brooding view of things. He had been humiliated, his fiancée nearly killed, and he would have been killed if not for Archer's intervention. Sola-Ui wouldn't be in as good a condition as she was now without Archer's help.

It wasn't like he was ungrateful to Archer, but the feeling of powerlessness irked his pride a bit. He knew logically Servants far surpassed their Masters, but at the same time, Kayneth did not like the feeling of uselessness. All his life he had been a prodigy and genius who surpassed others. He didn't like this new feeling.

''Well that's finished Lady Sola-Ui,'' Archer got up from where he had been kneeling next to the bed. He then turned to his Master.

''Well Master, what about the message from the Church Supervisor?'' Archer asked.

''You mean the renegade Caster? Yes, he will be dealt with,'' Kayneth nodded, his eyes focused on something else in the distance as he only half-heard Archer's question.

This morning he had sent a familiar to the Church when the supervisor gave the signal. There Risei Kotomine had explained the current situation. Caster was conducting murders without any precaution to cover up the secrecy of magecraft.

It's not like Kayneth cared about these backwater Oriental rats, but to expose the secret of magecraft was something that he as a magus could not tolerate. The utter lack of care that Caster's Master showed in failing to discipline his Servant was galling.

''Master? Are you all right?'' Archer approached Kayneth, concern in his voice.

''I'm fine,'' Kayneth said in a reserved tone, having focused back to reality. He got up, hands behind his back as he walked into the middle of the room.

''I have a task for you'' the blue-suited nobleman told him.

''What is it?''

''I wish to form an alliance against Lancer. He is too strong for you to take alone. I want you to go to the Einzbern camp and present terms for an alliance,'' Kayneth instructed.

Kayneth had determined that Lancer was too strong a Servant to be beaten alone by Archer. After Caster was dealt with, Archer would inevitably have to face the golden Servant. Therefore, Kayneth endeavored to form an alliance against Lancer. His choices were limited. Waver Velvet was out of the question. Caster and his Master were renegades. Berserker had just tried to kill him, and Assassin's Master was hidden.

That left the Einzberns. It was true that Archer had attacked them earlier in the war, but of course, such a thing was normal in the Holy Grail War. After seeing Lancer's fight against Saber, they should be more open to a temporary alliance. After all, weren't the Einzberns, a noble clan? In that case, Kayneth felt he could negotiate with them. As fellow members of the magecraft elite, they should be able to enter into a temporary contract.

Though as a precaution, Archer would act in his stead. Kayneth had no desire to expose himself openly after last night's incident.

''Very well Master. I shall depart after I've finished healing Lady Sola-Ui's injuries'' Archer replied.

* * *

 _It's a splendid sight that Tokiomi witnessed._

 _He stood in the middle of a vast plain. Before him, a great host of nobles and warriors were assembled. This place is a faraway land, but Tokiomi can guess where this is._

'' _Is this India?'' he looked around. Standing in the center of the tournament arena, he was like a silent ghost._

 _This is the day of the great competition that Drona had set up. Across the land, the two royal clans have gathered to show off their martial prowess and heroic bearing. Here the noble Pandavas and the proud Kauravas converged. Great tents and pavilions dotted the plain. Towers encircled a vast arena. The blind king Dhritarashtra is present with his wife, Gandhari. Kunti, the widow of King Pandu, is also present._

 _All day the princes show off their abilities. Horseback riding, swordsmanship, archery and more. Indeed, Duryodhana and Bhima show off notable skill with mace combat._

 _But above all is the shining star Arjuna. The third prince of the Pandavas. His feats of archery surpass all else. The royal family is filled with pride and adoration for him. No one can equal him. The Kauravas are full of envy at the sight of the prince's skills._

 _Then someone else arrives. A young warrior clad in shining golden armor like the sun._

 _Tokiomi can recognize his Servant._

 _Karna steps forward and performs archery feats that equal those of Arjuna. The crowd is stunned by the arrival of this mysterious warrior. None more so than Arjuna himself. Who is this man who shows such skill and valor?_

 _There isn't any particular reason that Karna arrived to challenge Arjuna. The newcomer merely wished to test his skills against the best in the land._

 _It soon becomes apparent that this newcomer is just the son of a charioteer. He who is called Radheya cannot stand in this august company. He cannot compete with the Kshatriya. With that, the golden warrior can only lower his head in shame._

 _Then the prince Duryodhana steps forward and clasps Karna's hand in a show of friendship._

' _'This man is the equal of any of us. I proclaim him to be the King of Anga!'' the prince declares._

 _Karna will never forget that show of kindness. With that, his destiny is set. Radheya will align with the Kaurava clan against the Pandavas. Eventually, the rivalry between the two groups would only grow worse until outright war threatened the realm._

 _Karna, now a warrior of the Kauravas, is approached by the royal lady Kunti. In a private meeting, she steps forward and reveals the truth to the warrior. She is Karna's birth mother, and he is secretly the oldest Pandava. It's an earth-shattering truth, yet the golden warrior takes it in stride. She implores him to join his brothers and become ruler of India._

 _He could only reject it. He would not betray Duryodhana who had shown him such kindness._

 _It might be the proper thing to do according to his birth family. At the same time, Karna's sense of honor would be forever tarnished by that. He will not take his place as the supreme ruler. Despite that, he was grateful to Kunti. While he appreciated his foster family, he also treasured the instance when Kunti regarded him as her son._

 _As a matter of course, Karna was deprived of his Kavacha and Kundala. The chief god Indra knew that the golden armor made Karna immortal against Arjuna. So to tip the scales for his son, Indra disguised himself as a Brahmin and approached Karna for alms._

 _Despite receiving a warning that this request was a trick, Karna still complied with the request, and he removed his golden armor. Flaying himself alive, he presented his most precious treasure to Indra. Stunned by his generosity, Indra gave him a javelin that could slay even a Divine Spirit. However, Karna could only use it once._

 _With that finished, war approached._

 _Tokiomi then found himself in the middle of another vast plain. The land before him was filled with corpses. Thousands of warriors fought and died under the sun. Here Karna had finally met his final fate._

 _The great warrior Ghatocthka had rampaged through the Kaurava army, slaying thousands of soldiers. He was unstoppable. The half-asura warrior had incredible strength in addition to powerful divine magecraft. Durodyana begged Karna to stop him._

 _So the white-haired demigod used his trump card against Ghatochtcka and slew the rampaging warrior. However, in doing so, Karna laid the groundwork for his defeat against Arjuna._

 _It was on the seventeenth day they met. It was a clash of the titans. The two great demigods fought aboard their chariots, pitting their skills against one another. Karna's Vijaya met Arjuna's Gandiva._

 _There could be only one outcome. Karna's curses activated and his chariot wheel was stuck. He forgot how to use Brahmastra._

 _As he bent down to fix his chariot wheel, Arjuna's arrow came from behind and killed him. With that the Son of the Sun God was dead._

 _Despite that, he did not regret his fate._

 _As the battle waged around him, Tokiomi walked through the field like a ghost. Ignoring the fleeing warriors of the Kaurava army, he bent down to inspect the headless body of Karna. The Tohsaka magus looked down at the memory of his Servant as the dream slowly began to fade away._

' _'You don't want to change this sad fate?'' Tokiomi said to himself softly._

 _This man had been denied his birthright and been forced to fight against his siblings. Ultimately he was killed unfairly over the course of the battle. Despite that fate, Lancer had no desire for the Grail or any wishes._

 _More to the point, Lancer's circumstances brought an uncomfortable thought to Tokiomi's mind. A sibling had been separated from their family and adopted into a rival clan. Then they clashed in a great war that could not be avoided._

 _It was all too familiar to the Tohsaka magus._

* * *

Yet, that a fate that Tokiomi has wished for his own children? To face off against each other in the Grail War? Looking at this tragedy, could he really say the same?

Tokiomi woke up and straightened himself up, fighting off the remnants of sleep as he did so. He had fallen asleep on his couch in the living room. His Servant had been guarding him in spirit form. The red-suited magus had been waiting for one of his familiars to return. It was now nightfall. Exhaustion must have caught up with him. Tokiomi mentally chastised himself before muttering another aria underneath his breath. With that, he cast a sort of self-suggestion on himself to stave off sleep and keep himself alert.

With that done, Tokiomi turned his attention to his Servant Lancer. The golden knight had manifested in physical form and was looking over the living room wall with a faint sort of curiosity. Or at least the demigod's expression was what Tokiomi presumed to be curiosity. Reading Lancer was hard.

The Tohsaka Master paused to remember the dream he had. It was both realistic and vivid, yet it was also tragic. Without a doubt, it was the past of his Servant. It was the rise and fall of the great hero Karna. With his Servant standing in front of him, shouldn't the red-suited man ask the hero about it? Tokiomi had some curiosity if nothing else.

Lancer might just be a copy of Heroic Spirit Karna, like a painting of a real person. Even so, a painting deserves to be admired once in a while. But before Tokiomi could speak, Lancer opened his mouth.

''Is this your family?'' the golden spearman inquired, glancing over the portrait that Tokiomi had on his wall. Just like a traditional magus, the Tohsaka used portraits instead of modern photographs.

''Yes, that's my beloved wife Aoi and my daughter Rin,'' the red-suited magus explained as he moved next to his Servant. This discussion wasn't related to the Holy Grail War, but at the same time, Tokiomi saw no problem in indulging his Servant's curiosity.

''Rin, in particular, is the crown jewel of my clan. My potential pales next to her,'' Tokiomi smirked. Even to his Servant, he could not help boasting about his bloodline.

Lancer nodded, regarding Rin's picture with an unreadable expression.

''So you want your daughter to grow powerful,'' Lancer observes calmly. It was an obvious statement but accurate all the same.

''You don't wish to disgrace your ancestors. Nor do you want for your daughter to shame you either. I can understand that feeling. I have no desire to tarnish the name of my father either,'' The golden knight noted.

Indeed, Heroic Spirit Karna doesn't care about himself. Having been born with the radiance of his father, he tried to live his life in a manner that would not dishonor Surya. To the very end, he had remained a hero.

''Of course. Bloodline is everything in magecraft,'' the spearman's Master noted.

''I have done my best to reach the Root. Hopefully, I should be able to arrive at the Holy Grail in this war, but if things don't go according to plan then Rin will be the one to advance the Tohsaka family magecraft,'' the Tohsaka patriarch lectured his Servant.

''Indeed, so you are content to place such a burden on the next generation? I suppose that is your duty,'' Lancer turned his attention to his Master.

''You do indeed speak the truth about that. However, there is something else that you have been hiding from me. Something that you do not wish to talk about,'' the demigod noted.

''You are a man who is proud of his family. Is your pride in the family greater than your love for magecraft?'' the golden Servant wondered.

Tokiomi frowned at Lancer's words. He peeled away Tokiomi's front as a magus to look inside.

His words brought up painful memories of his other daughter, Sakura. He had handed his other daughter to the Matou where she could properly embrace her destiny. Was Lancer trying to criticize his decision about that?

No, Lancer could not have possibly known about Sakura. His words still irked Tokiomi.

''You overstep your bounds Lancer,'' the red-suited magus replied firmly. 'Don't slander the Tohsaka pride,''

The spearman raised an eyebrow.

''I wasn't trying to insult your clan. However, are you sure about the future of your daughter?'' he asked.

''That's an absurd question. Magecraft is the noblest pursuit one can find. The Tohsaka family cannot lower themselves to common standards,'' Tokiomi assured Lancer as calmly as he could.

''I see then. So that's the path you chose. You regard yourself as mediocre in ability, so you want your daughter to be the ideal magus you cannot be,'' the white-haired demigod nodded.

The golden Servant is genuinely concerned about his Master and his family. After all, he feels very grateful to Tokiomi for having summoned him, so he intends to serve the Tohsaka master to his last breath. It's only natural he wants Tokiomi and his family to be happy. If that's the course Tokiomi chose, then Karna would merely accept it as the natural course of events.

Tokiomi opened his mouth to reply, but he stopped. Outwardly he maintained the cold mask of a magus, on the inside he was flustered at having his Servant observe his inner thoughts and unintentionally criticize them. Lancer had peeled away his façade and exposed some of the thoughts he had concealed deeply behind the mask of an ideal magus.

Lancer was phrasing his questions about Rin. He could not have known about Sakura. Yet even then, his observations still carried weight.

No matter how you looked at it, he had made the decision that made the most sense as a magus. He had been too blessed. Only one of his daughters could receive the protection of the Tohsaka family. The other daughter would be noticed and experimented on by other mages without any protection.

He could only breathe a sigh of relief at Zouken's offer. The wise and noble man was truly somebody who embodied the ideal traits of a magus. Under Zouken's tutelage then Sakura would become a splendid seeker of knowledge. One day both she and Rin could pit their mysteries against each other.

''I have been patient so far, but you overstep your bounds, Lancer. This line of questioning is irrelevant to the Holy Grail War,'' he said firmly. Here the red-suited magus had to demonstrate his authority as a Master to his Servant.

''As you wish then,'' Lancer stated softly.

And really, that should be the end of it.

Yet…

A part of Tokiomi could not resist. After all wasn't Lancer himself someone who had been adopted away from his clan?

''Lancer, I do require you to answer a question about your past,'' The red-suited magus asked his Servant.

''What do you wish to know?'' the golden knight replied.

''You had been cast aside by your birth family and adopted. Do you feel like your adopted life was happy? You who they call Radheya?'' Tokiomi asked Lancer.

The demigod paused before answering.

''Indeed, I believe it was worthwhile and meaningful for myself. I would not change my path,'' the white-haired demigod told his Master.

Tokiomi's confidence rose, but then plummeted when Lancer continued.

''But even then was that the desired outcome? In the end, Kunti herself wanted to have me return to the Pandava clan and the side of dharma. My natural gifts were all stolen from me, and I was cursed. My brother shot me in the back,'' the golden spearman went on.

''My Lord, I was satisfied with my life. However, if you asked that question to my mother then I think you would have gotten a very different answer.'' Lancer told his Master.

* * *

Several miles away, Saber was encountering a new opponent.

The Yamaha VMX1200 V-Max roared down the road leading from the Fuyuki Shinto district. There Irisviel and Saber had been shopping around so Irisviel could see even more of the sights that Fuyuki had to offer. Having been cooped up in the Einzbern castle for her entire life, she took pleasure in seeing what the outside world had to offer.

Currently, she was seated on the back of the motorcycle. She had to link her arms around Saber's waist to steady herself. Truly the Yamaha was an unruly bull of a vehicle. A souped-up high-performance machine, Kiritsugu had specially prepared it for the war. Certainly, no normal human could ride that thing and live, but Saber is not a normal human by any degree.

''That's impressive Saber. I'd never seen a motorcycle move like this before,'' Irisviel noted.

''It's fine. I guess I can put my Riding skill to good use. Even then, it's not too different than riding a horse,'' Saber noted.

Having possessed the Riding skill, operating this motorbike was an easy task for him. He moved up through a parking lot and then into an abandoned side street, heading towards the industrial district where he would then depart on the highway to go back to Kiritsugu's headquarters.

For this night they were just seeking out enemy Servants to fight. Kiritsugu was conducting his surveillance, leaving Saber and Irisviel to operate independently. So far they had not encountered any Servants or Masters. It seemed Shinto did not hold anything pertinent to the Holy Grail War. Next time they would try the Miyama district and see if there was any Servants present there.

Saber gunned the Yamaha and moved into the industrial district, an area of factories and warehouses that usually comprised the heart of the Fuyuki economy that didn't deal with overseas trade. A thick smog filled the air, causing Irisviel to blanch.

''Saber-,'' she started to complain.

''Yeah, that's a foul stench. Maybe I'll buy some flowers for you later to make up for it?'' Saber joked with her. Or at least Irisviel thought he was just kidding from his tone, as she couldn't see his face from this angle.

''Trying to be a gentleman?'' a smile curved across her lips.

''Of course milady,'' the blonde knight replied in a kind tone.

Then Saber brought the bike to a halt as something appeared in front of them.

There was a dozen large amphibious monsters, a forest of teeth and tentacles. Moving quickly after having sensed Saber, they attacked both him and Irisivel. With an expert turn, Saber avoided the tentacles of one water demon before deflecting another strike with his newly materialized sword. Quickly, the blonde knight moved off the bike and equipped himself, glancing behind Irisviel to make sure she was safe. His false Master had to step off the motorcycle and looked worriedly at the monsters before her. She was starting to unwind some razor wire.

''Caster's familiars?'' she asked him.

''Most likely,'' Saber replied without hesitation.

Then the rest of the monsters attacked. In a silver flash Saber moved to intercept them, his invisible sword slicing through them at speeds that Irisviel couldn't comprehend at all. With the grace of a master swordsman, the water demons were sliced into multiple small pieces.

Scarcely had Saber killed them when a wave of dozens upon dozens of monsters emerged from the darkness and rushed Saber. Quickly, the silver knight intercepted them with a look of determination on his face, his invisible sword cutting down sea monster after sea monster.

Irisviel stood about ten feet behind Saber, watching the ongoing melee, her alchemic wires held loosely in her hands. She had prepared herself for combat with an enemy Master, but this was unexpected. Even though Irisviel wasn't skilled in combat magecraft, she did learn some things from Kiritsugu. With her wires, she could take down one, or maybe two of these summoned monsters. Certainly, they weren't things an ordinary human could fight. Here Saber was easily handling dozens of these monsters and was slaughtering them. Even when the sea demons tried to attack Irisviel herself, the silver knight was always fast enough to intercept him. Just like he had sworn earlier, Saber was protecting her life no matter what.

These had to be Caster's familiars. In that case, the enemy Servant was making a prudent choice in fighting Saber like this. If Caster tried to attack Saber with magecraft directly, then it would be a pointless attack due to Saber's high Magic Resistance. So sending summoned familiars to fight by proxy was Caster's favored strategy.

Here Irisviel could only compare it to waves of water breaking against a stout dam. Saber slaughtered wave after wave to the point that the industrial yard was turning into a swamp of dead demons. Their blood and guts were turning the air toxic, so Irisviel had to use some magecraft to block it out. Despite killing over two hundred of them so far, the numbers didn't decrease at all.

''Is this it Caster?'' Saber spoke out into, an easygoing smile on his smile despite being confronted by Caster's monsters.

As if responding to his taunt, the wave of water monsters in front of him shuddered. Over fifty of the beasts rose up and then began to flow together, appearing to merge. In horrified fascination, Irisviel and Saber watched as the monsters began to fuse together into something even more terrifying.

Standing about three stories tall and the length of a tanker truck, an immense water demon manifested before them, having been brought forth by the merging dozens of smaller horrors. In comparison to those monsters summoned before, this one was in a different class.

''Stay back!'' Saber told Irisviel, launching himself forward in a silver flash.

About a hundred feet away in the shadows of an abandoned car factory, Servant Caster watched the ongoing battle. In one hand he clutched his Noble Phantasm, Prelati's Spellbook: _Text of the Sunken Spiral City_ , a gift from his former teacher.

Once again he mentally thanked his dear friend for this book. Certainly, Gilles de Rais had no skill at magecraft himself.

He had spotted one of the Servants earlier riding around with his Master. Quickly he had taken a group of kidnapped children and used them to set up a trap for the enemy. He summoned forth a group of demons from his kidnapped victims and sent them against Saber.

It was true that Caster was insane and delusional. Even in his madness, he was still a general who had commanded a nation's armies. The madman understood it would be unwise to confront a powerful opponent like Saber directly. He still knew the basics of military strategy despite his madness. So he sent out a group of scouts to gauge his enemy's strength.

If it had been his dear Jeanne, then he would have probably rushed out to greet her in person. However, since that was not the case, he had no problem sitting back in the shadows and letting his demonic army fight Saber.

''Oh Jeanne,'' he muttered to himself, thinking of her beauty.

Yes, he had to use the Holy Grail to revive Jeanne and set right what had gone wrong. After all with such a power shouldn't resurrection be possible? It was why Caster had answered the call of the Grail in the first place. Jeanne's revival was his wish…or rather his desire to revive Jeanne in the form that he most considered ideal, that of a vengeful holy woman to burn the world.

A _dragon witch_ forsaken by God.

Saber's distant battle cry shook him out of his dream.

Saber destroyed wave after wave of enemies with his invisible blade, yet Caster merely kept on summoning another wave of monsters, using Prelati's Spellbook as the driving force and the guts of the slain sea monsters as catalysts.

As if in response to Saber's provocation, Caster flipped through the book and uttered another spell in a foul language. Quickly the Horrors under his command moved to merge themselves into another giant creature to fight Saber.

Certainly, this monster was as big as a great whale and formidable. It wasn't the same thing as the great monster that Caster could summon by using the full power of his Noble Phantasm. As it was, an observer could call this thing a ''limb'' of that great demon monster.

It would be a tough opponent for an average Servant. Caster himself estimated this monster to be around B or C rank in regards to parameters.

''En garde Saber,'' Caster smirked as he watched the distant battle.

The giant water demon moved forward, a forest of python-sized tentacles lashing forward. Saber met the charge, his invisible sword slicing off five of them as he dodged the rest. Scarcely had this been done, the creature quickly regenerated the lost limbs.

Landing on the concrete below, Saber moved again to avoid a large pair of tentacles slamming down to create a massive crater where he had been standing. With abnormal movements, the massive water leviathan moved quickly after Saber.

The silver knight's invisible blade was stained with demonic ichor as he carved another massive wound on the flank of the water demon. Just as before the wound closed up. The teeth and tentacles of the monster closed in on Saber only to be repelled by the silver knight.

Saber ran up the wall of a derelict warehouse, leaping off before the beast crashed into it, scattering a bulldozer like a cheap toy. Dust and debris filled the air as the monster flailed about, looking for its enemy.

Then in the dust and shadows, Caster saw a flash of blazing magical energy as Saber removed his silver armor and activated his Prana Burst. The winds swirled around his invisible sword as the knight advanced with a look of determination on his face. the knight's form was covered in a shroud of white magical energy, like a gleaming star.

''Ah, yes. Show me it,'' Caster grinned as he leaned forward to get a better look.

He had no expectation that his summoned beast could defeat Saber. Being just a ''creature'' without a Noble Phantasm or special techniques of its own, it couldn't possibly compare to a true Heroic Spirit. Rather Caster's intent on summoning him was to force Saber to use his Noble Phantasm. If he used that, then Caster would figure out his identity and gain an advantage.

However, such a beast is easy prey for Saber.

The silver knight had incarnated into this world as a Servant who killed giants. According to his legend, King Arthur slew all sorts of giants and demonic beasts in Britain. So that myth manifested as the ''Giant Beast Hunting" ability.

In an azure flash, Saber leaped up over thirty meters in the air and came down to meet the huge water monster as it detected his presence. With a loud shout, Saber activated his Prana Burst at the max and tore through the huge monster.

 _''Strike Air!''_ he roared as a miniature tornado filled the abandoned industrial yard.

Like a hot knife cutting through butter, Saber tore through the creature and completed shredded its spiritual core. Between the added prana from dispensing his armor, his fully activated Prana Burst, and the use of Invisible Air, he destroyed the creature.

As he landed on the concrete ground below, a rain of dead flesh fell behind him. The creature was dead.

Caster scowled at seeing Saber's victory. Though he had caught a brief glimpse of something golden that had been concealed under that sheath of wind, he had not seen enough of it to figure out precisely what it was. More to the point the swordsman had defeated the summoned beast without revealing his Noble Phantasm.

''I see,'' he muttered to himself. He could continue with this, but Caster had other plans tonight. He now knew that he had to use a different strategy.

With that, he turned into spiritual form and disappeared.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Radheya is one of Karna's other names, meaning ''Radha's son". Radha was his foster mother from the shudra caste.

Proto-Saber had an easier battle than canon Saber due to not having Gae Buidhe's curse on him. That and Caster was just testing him rather than trying to capture him, as Proto-Saber is not "Jeanne". Roughly speaking, if the canon Giant Horror in Fate/Zero was about A+ in terms of toughness and power, then this truck-sized sea monster was about B-Rank by comparison.

Regarding Tokiomi, I basically got the impression that he would have been okay with Sakura's worm rape if Zouken had actually intended to turn her into a conventional magus and proper heir, rather than breeding stock or the fake Holy Grail. Tokiomi is to my reading, a true magus, but one that cares for his family when it doesn't conflict with his magecraft ideals. He would probably take the biggest issue with Sakura's true talent essentially being squandered.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note:** Here is the 8th Chapter.

* * *

 **Of Relics and Men-Chapter Eight**

It was quiet around the Tohsaka house as darkness fell. Another night had shrouded the urban landscape, one that would hopefully see Caster slain. However, that quiet was interrupted by the onrushing sound of thunder. It seemed like a new storm was entering the mansion grounds.

Rider's chariot rumbled into the front lawn of the Tohsaka estate, still wrecked from the massive battle two nights earlier. The superhuman melee had annihilated the gardens. Bits of turf and dirt were still scattered about the place. Officially Tokiomi's excuse was that he was conducting a complete renovation of his lands. Atop the divine chariot was Rider and his nervous Master, who was clutching at Rider's side in trepidation.

''Ah here we are boy. I see they haven't repaired things since I've been here last,'' grinned the red-haired Servant.

''But Rider, this is right in the middle of enemy territory-,'' Waver began before Rider gave him a playful flick to shut him up.

Before them, the golden form of Lancer emerged from the house. He had his divine spear ready in hand to fight.

''Have you come to challenge my Master?'' Lancer asked the crimson king, his blue eyes piercing straight into Rider.

''Oh no. Not at all. All I want to do is talk.'' Rider smiled. He was clad in civilian clothes. Instead of his royal outfit, he wore a t-shirt and jeans. Lancer gave a quizzical glance at Rider's shirt. Admirable Great Tactics?

''Talk?'' Lancer questioned.

''Rather I have something else to ask you. It's about your nature as a Heroic Spirit,'' the mounted Servant explained. He proceeded to dismount from the chariot and stand before the golden knight. The king was completely at ease.

The lance-wielding hero nodded. He didn't detect any deception from Rider's words. So he dismissed his weapon.

''I see. What are you curious about then?'' Lancer commented.

''I wish to know all the wishes of the Heroic Spirits. After all, we are invited here to this Holy Grail War to obtain a single wish. I would know the grand ambitions of the other Heroic Spirits in this war,'' Rider explained. Indeed, these seven transcendent existences had gathered in Fuyuki. So they should have desires befitting their station as beings of a superlative rank.

''I am the son of Zeus. I can only guess that you are a powerful demigod. Everything about you from your noble bearing to your golden armor speaks of a divine heritage! So my fellow demigod, I wish to ask you this-,''

He thrust one fist into the air.

''Lancer what's your desire? You know about my desire to conquer the world again. As far as I'm concerned, the Grail is just a stepping stone to reincarnate in this world again. What of you?'' Rider asked.

''I have no wish,'' the white-haired warrior replied.

''Eh?'' Rider blinked. The momentum was taken out of his entrance. He had not expected this.

''I have no interest in the Grail. I answered the call only because my Master asked. I fight because my Master desires the Grail. There is no other reason,'' the golden spearman continued calmly.

Waver looked at the stoic Servant in puzzlement. Was this guy for real?

''Are you serious? A majestic and radiant hero like yourself serving someone for nothing at all?'' Rider looked him over dubiously. It was true that Rider only regarded the Grail as a mere stepping stone to his ambition. Still, even he technically had a wish for it.

''Indeed. There's nothing odd about it. I suppose even a worthless man like myself can repay others,'' Lancer mentioned.

''Eh? That seems a bit too small-minded for somebody descended from gods. Is that really how you feel?'' Rider asked.

''Why shouldn't I? I'm just a spear to be wielded at the discretion of my Master. Even if I were a famous king like yourself, that would mean nothing now,'' Lancer replied.

''I see now. Someone like you might be a demigod, but you could never be a king,'' Rider gave a soft chuckle at that. On some level, he was disappointed in this man.

''I suppose that's the difference between us. You are a gregarious man who seeks to explore his limits. I guess if that's your way of heroism, then it's as valid as any other. I could never live in such a way,'' the golden knight commented.

''That's my way of heroism. Do you think that's the wrong path to take then?'' the crimson king asked his peer.

''O King of Macedonia, I see you never felt any regrets about the path you chose, even if it brought you an early death and a fragmented empire. That is something you should be thankful for,'' Lancer continued, calmly assessing Rider's character and personality.

''That's right. Tell me, Lancer; have you lived your life with no regrets at all? Not one?'' Rider asked.

''I have no regrets,'' the white-haired demigod affirmed.

Even then, Rider couldn't criticize Lancer's ideals. Iskandar held a high regard for people who valued friendship and loyalty. The fact that the stoic demigod sincerely held no regrets about his life path made Rider nod in approval.

Silence reigned for a few more seconds.

''I see. You will never join me. That's the kind of man you are. I suppose the only thing left to do is to crush you on the battlefield,'' Rider sighed. He moved to board the Gordius Wheel once more.

Waver looked around in surprise. Was another battle about to begin?

''Will you try that now?'' Lancer asked.

''Only until after Caster is defeated,'' Rider noted.

''My Master will find that satisfactory,'' Lancer noted.

With that, the red-haired king whipped the reins to the Gordius Wheel and disappeared into the dark sky.

* * *

Tokiomi watched the divine battle chariot leave. It rose into the air and soon disappeared from view. He sighed and sat back in a chair as he thought about the recent meeting that Rider had with his Servant. It was a puzzling turn of events. Iskandar had expressed interest in his fellow demigod. He was the dominant one in this Master-Servant pair. As surreal as the meeting was, Tokiomi could understand Rider's interest in his own Lancer.

''Is he gone?'' Tokiomi asked Lancer. The golden Servant materialized next to his Master, looking as stoic as ever.

''Indeed he has. I don't believe we need to fear deception from that one,'' Lancer reported.

Rider didn't seem like the subtle sort. To the red-suited magus, the enemy Servant was as loud as he was uncontrollable. It was disgraceful that his Master could not exercise discipline over him. Or perhaps that was to be expected, considering Waver Velvet's inexperience.

Indeed, the Tohsaka patriarch felt lucky that the Lord El-Melloi hadn't summoned Rider. A Master limited the power of a Servant. As Velvet was an inferior magus, in turn, that would restrict the amount of magical energy he could supply to his Servant.

''It's hard to believe someone so…crass conquered the world. It's disgraceful,'' Tokiomi mused. So far the King of Conquerors had proven to be quite unpredictable.

''Is that so Master?'' the golden Servant looked at him with his cold gaze.

''Do you have something to say about Rider?'' Tokiomi questioned his Servant. He was interested to know what his Servant thought of the other Heroic Spirits.

''I do. Rider is a man without doubt or regrets. That in itself is an ideal most people cannot reach. He is content with his life,'' The golden spearman noted. It was true. Most Servants tended to carry some form of regret from their lives. In that regard, you could say that Rider had already won the Holy Grail War.

''Can you say the same Master? That you have no doubts about your life?'' Lancer asked.

Tokiomi fell silent.

* * *

''It's a beautiful night isn't it Saber?'' Irisviel asked as she stood on the battlements. They had been taking a tour of the castle that the Einzbern team was using as a base.

She was clad in a regal purple dress and winter hat, looking for all the world like a member of royalty. Next, to her, Saber was clad in full armor, with his hood pulled back, allowing Irisviel to see his handsome features completely.

''I suppose the skies of Japan are the same sort as in Britain,'' Saber noted.

''Tell me, is there anything else you can appreciate about Fuyuki?'' Irisviel asked with curiosity.

''Well I suppose the skyscrapers are impressive, as are the various modern buildings. Camelot wasn't as big as this,'' the silver paladin told her.

''I see. I can understand. These sights are all new and thrilling to me. I've never been out of the Einzbern castle before,'' Irisviel admitted in a somewhat sad tone.

''You've never been out of the castle before?'' Saber blinked in surprise.

''Oh yes, I've never been out. Or to be more precise I've never left the castle grounds. I did spend time in the forest and the snow,'' Irisviel's expression turned wistful as she remembered that.

''I see. Even so, I suppose I'm jealous of you in one respect,'' Saber commented.

''Oh? What's that?'' Irisviel was curious about what the blonde knight had to say.

''Admittedly, I would have liked to have a cute daughter as you have,'' Saber smiled wistfully, remembering the girl he had briefly seen at the Einzbern homeland. Indeed, he had given up hope for a normal family when he swore his life to the pursuit of justice.

''Illya? I see,'' Irisviel gave a bit of a sad smile at that comment. On the one hand, it was interesting to think that Saber wanted that. On the contrary, it was a reminder that she would have to leave Illya behind.

''Yeah. Maybe I would get my little girl a hat like this,'' the blonde-haired youth playfully snatched the white winter hat off Irisviel's head, causing her to squeak in surprise. He was looking at it in amusement when Irisviel snatched it back, her cheeks red with embarrassment.

''Ah, my apologies. You looked like you needed to have some fun,'' the princely young man gave a kind smile to her.

''Saber that's a rude thing to do!'' she admonished him, like a mother.

Saber was about to ask more when Irisviel's expression changed into a more serious one.

''Saber, a Servant, has just bypassed the Bounded Field,'' the homunculus told him. The blonde man beside her sensed the presence of a Servant outside of the Einzbern castle as well.

''Get to safety Irisviel,'' the silver swordsman told her, manifesting his sword and leaping over the castle walls as he did so.

Landing with a thud, Saber dashed through the castle grounds to stand before the entrance, his blade at hand to counter the rapidly approaching Servant that was heading towards the Einzbern castle. Moments later the intruder appeared.

The Servant was a tall, handsome figure with a welcoming presence. The newly arrived Servant wore armor so that he couldn't be Caster. Saber hadn't seen Servant Archer in person, but it was easy to piece together his appearance from the process of elimination.

''Archer I presume? Do you intend to attack during this truce?'' the silver knight demanded. He spoke in the tone of a steadfast knight.

''Be at ease Saber. I don't plan to fight tonight. I didn't bring my bow out. See?'' Archer spread his arms out. He didn't have a weapon.

''Why have you come then Archer?'' Saber questioned him, not dropping his guard. His Instinct skill told him that this man had no intent to fight. There was no danger here. Still, he was cautious.

''I wish to speak to you and your Master concerning the war,'' Archer explained in a polite tone.

Saber paused, unsure of how to answer that. Was this some trick by Archer? To lure out Irisviel in hopes of trying to kill her? Archer had targeted his fake Master before in their brief skirmish, so it wasn't impossible.

Before he could answer, Irisviel appeared at the front doors.

''Lady Irisviel?'' he looked at her.

''It's fine Saber. I trust in you to protect me,'' Irisviel reassured him.

With that, the white-haired homunculus turned to face the brunette Servant.

''Well then Archer, what do you have to say then?'' she asked.

''I have a simple topic for you, Master of Saber. It concerns Lancer,'' Archer explained.

''Lancer?'' Irisviel blinked.

''Yes. Lancer showed overwhelming battle strength in the melee two nights ago. Saber and Berserker could not defeat him. I believe him to be the strongest Servant in this war.'' The bowman explained.

''You think he's the strongest?'' Irisviel asked dubiously.

''Do you concur Saber?'' Archer turned and asked Saber.

''…Yes, I would have to agree that Lancer is stronger than me,'' the silver knight nodded warily. He had to be sure of that; it was one of the conditions for unleashing his royal Noble Phantasm.

''So Lancer is too strong to defeat by ourselves. since that is the case, then I propose an alliance,'' the composed man said.

''An alliance?'' Irisviel questioned him.

''Indeed. Since Lancer is too powerful, Saber and I should combine forces, so we have a better chance at defeating him,'' the bowman mentioned.

Alliances in the Holy Grail War were not unknown in the past. It wasn't unknown for some of the weaker Servants to team up against stronger ones. Archer's words and reasoning made sense even if Saber was wary. The current alliance against Caster was an example of that, although for different reasons.

However, Irisviel wasn't Saber's true Master. That was Kiritsugu. Also, any such alliances would eventually have to end, as only one Master could claim the Grail. Irisviel had been briefed on all these possibilities by Acht as part of her preparation for the War, yet she still found herself hesitant and unsure of herself. Distantly she could almost feel her husband's eyes peering at her from behind. Her husband should be currently hidden in the shadows if her guess was correct. With that, she paused and nodded.

''Would this alliance occur after Caster is defeated?'' Irisviel asked.

''Indeed. Until that Servant is defeated I won't go after Lancer,'' the bowman nodded to her, a brief look of distaste flickering across his features as Caster's name was mentioned.

At least now, Irisviel knew what to do.

''No, I cannot agree to this just yet,'' Irisviel replied coolly to Archer. She can't take the risk of admitting to something that might upset Kiritsugu's plans.

''Very well then. Should you change your mind, then please approach my Master'' the bowman noted, before disappearing into spirit form and leaving. It fact, it was as if Archer had vanished into the forest itself somehow.

With that, Irisviel and Saber were left alone. She walked back into the castle, Saber following in her footsteps.

''Lady Irisviel-,'' the silver knight began to speak.

''Yes, I know that Saber's Master must have time to consider Archer's words,'' she nodded, looking up at the windows where Kiritusgu had been silently observing the exchange from the shadows.

* * *

 _Kayneth dreamed of a man._

 _No, it was more accurate to say he was some Elemental or demigod than a man. Both the Sky God Chronos and the nymph Philyra came together to produce an offspring. The newborn was an offspring that didn't resemble a human but rather was instead a centaur._

 _Dimly, Kayneth could see the youthful version of Chiron in the mountain temple before him. It was a tranquil and holy place that was filled with the radiance of the divine pantheon.  
_

 _From the very start of his birth, the centaur did not receive love from his parents. He did not have a proper family as one can expect. His father did not care, and his mother has horrified by her son being half-horse, so she abandoned him. However, his childhood was not without happiness. The other Gods took him in and taught him. Apollo graced him with knowledge of archery, healing, and music. Artemis showed him hunting. Others came forward to present other pieces of knowledge upon the youth. He excelled and mastered everything._

 _As he grew into manhood, he was different from his peers. The other centaurs were wild and drunken beasts who were enemies of humanity. If anything the man was the exact opposite of that. He was calm and wise. He took to wearing clothes and the other trappings of civilization. The centaur grew famous and well-known for his great wisdom and skill. Parents offered youths to be taught in his care. There they would learn the martial arts, hunting, philosophy, music and many other skills that were considered necessary for heroes._

 _Next Kayneth found himself in a forest clearing. It was night, and the stars were shining in the sky._

 _This was Mount Pelion, a famous mountain in Greece._

 _There was a green-haired youth with Chiron. They were laughing and smiling as the centaur pointed out the bright constellations in the sky and showed them to the boy, teaching the young man the meaning of each one. If not for the inhuman features of Chiron, one might think that these two were father and son. There was a quiet affection between the two._

 _The youth was apple-cheeked and beautiful, still just a child. Even then there was a sense of energy and strength around him that could only belong to someone with great talent and courage. After a few moments, Kayneth realized who this youth was._

 _''That is the North Star, Achilles,'' the centaur told him._

 _Achilles, the great hero of the Iliad. Regarding fame, he was comparable to Hercules. He was the demigod son of the hero Peleus and the sea goddess Thetis. He had been born with an immense amount of potential. Kayneth knew full well the name of this fast-sprinting hero. A hero who had famously gained an immortal body from a divine curse. Later in life, he grew to be a great champion before dying at the gates of Troy._

 _In a way, it was humbling to see Chiron and Achilles like this, sharing this simple happiness together._

 _''Indeed, perhaps one day you too might become a constellation,'' Chiron told his pupil._

 _Like a scrapbook, events seemed to fly by right before Kayneth's eyes. Achilles blossomed under Chiron's tutelage and set off when he had learned all that Chiron could teach him. The young demigod walked away to meet his destiny and obtain great glory._

 _They never saw each other again after Achilles parted from his teacher. Even so, the seer_ _Chiron understood Achilles's fate._

 _Then Kayneth saw blood and agony. An injured body was lying in the middle of a cave._

 _Kayneth found himself staring at the bloodied body of the centaur. Yes, Kayneth knew this part of the tale. There was a wound in the centaur's thigh, a festering wound that did not stop bleeding. This was a hydra-blooded arrow, having hit Chiron by mistake when Hercules got into a quarrel with some centaurs. The greater healer could not heal himself._

 _His eyes stared blankly up as he gave up his immortality to finally die. With that, the life of the great teacher Chiron had ended. In death, he became a constellation in the sky as a reward for his excellent service to the Olympian Pantheon._

 _Even then, crippled and poisoned, the great teacher had regrets for what he had lost._

* * *

Kayneth woke up in a groan. While he was getting up, he looked to see Sola-Ui sleeping softly on her cot. Kayneth himself was still dressed in his blue coat at his workshop desk. He blinked before realizing he had succumbed to exhaustion and fell asleep. It wasn't something unexpected given the nocturnal nature of the Grail War, but Kayneth cursed himself for being so lax as to do so.

He got up, pocketing his Volumen Hydrargyrum as he did so. Ever since Berserker's attack, he had been keeping it close at hand. With Assassin still present, Kayneth still carried that seed of paranoia from the failed assassination attempt. He had spent all day and night repairing the Bounded Fields and increasing his defenses twofold.

Kayneth turned his thoughts to his Servant. He had witnessed the life and death of the centaur Chiron, in particular, his last moments as an immortal. Kayneth was of mixed feelings regarding what he had seen. Selfless compassion and humanitarian service were not things that a typical magus cared about. More so for the nobility. Even if the Archibald nobleman understood those concepts, Chiron's style of teaching was alien to Kayneth. Especially with how the centaur seemed to be fine with having one of his students surpass him in glory.

 _Master? Are you awake?_ Archer contacted him over their telepathic connection that Kayneth had set up with magecraft.

 _Where are you?_ Kayneth asked.

 _I am leaving the Einzbern castle. The negotiation was inconclusive. They refused our offer._ Archer replied.

 _I see. The Einzberns should come around eventually._ Kayneth answered confidently.

 _That's the thing Master; I don't believe that the Einzberns would agree to this alliance._ Archer put forth.

 _Explain your reasoning._ Kayneth inquired.

 _I did not see any marks for the Command Spells on the Einzbern lady. My eyes can see through anything. I don't think she was Saber_ _Master._ The centaur described.

 _So the Einzberns are performing some trick?_ Kayneth asked.

 _Indeed Master._ His Servant replied.

 _I understand, so that's the Einzberns' game._ The blue-suited nobleman noted confidently.

* * *

As it turned out, Caster's lair was in the sewer.

The dark waters of the Mion River led into the sewer piping tunnels, part of the city's underground system. At night, the waters appeared black, blending in with the shadows and filth of the sewer to cast a stygian vision of the underworld. Up ahead was Caster's workshop. It was hidden inside an old water tank. Dozens of those aquatic creatures were stationed around all the access points. In those places, guards would lie in wait to ambush any intruder that would foolishly approach.

Currently, Assassin was perched at the top of a sewer maintenance tunnel like a spider. There she assessed the defenses that Caster had set up. Here she had finally tracked down Caster from his trail of destruction and found this place. The infiltrator was expecting a series of Bounded Fields and magecraft traps designed to present an intricate defense. However, all she had found so far was just a horde of monsters stationed to act as guards. It was not the behavior of a typical magus.

Even with such an irregular defense, Assassin found herself approaching cautiously. She weighed her options. Her poison body might be able to kill these aquatic creatures. However, even she could not last under the sheer weight of numbers.

She considered one of her special assassination techniques. In the past, she would use particular drugs in conjunction with her poison. In doing so, she would dance and spread her poison on the winds. In that way, she had poisoned entire armies in her legend. However the ventilation here was quite poor, so it was unlikely that Caster would die from that technique if she tried it. Most likely she would end up alerting Caster to her position.

That left the other option of infiltrating the workshop and attacking Caster directly. If she took attack preparations, she might be detected by Caster's familiars and intercepted before she could land a decisive strike on Caster. Conversely, with her speed and her Noble Phantasm, it was possible she might get the first hit on Caster's body. However, that was a gamble to see if she could kill Caster before his minions could kill her.

Her thoughts were interrupted as she sensed the presence of another Servant.

Looking into the darkness, she soon saw the radiant shine of lightning as a massive battle chariot trampled down the beasts that guarded Caster's territory. After a moment she recognized Rider and his young Master as they rode down the sewer pathways. It was a narrow fit, but they were able to make it.

So another Servant had managed to find Caster, Assassin realized.

 _So Rider is here_. The mental voice of her Master echoed through her mind. Undoubtedly Kirei was observing this event through her senses.

She felt glad she was currently hidden. The Gordius Wheel was a formidable weapon. One stomp it produced had greater prana than any of her regular attacks could manage. Considering it was an Anti-Army weapon, she would be annihilated in a frontal confrontation.

Still, the divine battle chariot opened up a new opportunity for Assassin. She spotted the war cart running down the monsters surrounding Caster's workshop. In this, a breach opened up in Caster's defenses. The poison user quickly took advantage of the situation. If she made no attack preparations, she could even sneak up right next to Rider without being detected. Perhaps she might even be able to kill his young Master?

 _Do you wish for me to try to kill the boy_? She asked.

 _Not yet. Observe Rider for now_. Kirei answered calmly.

She moved swiftly and silently behind the chariot, noting the vast destruction that Rider's steeds had left in their wake. There was a river of blood and severed tentacles, but she was able to wade through them with grace and dexterity. After a moment she soon emerged into Caster's workshop.

In the darkness, she saw a scene of atrocities. It was a veritable _Grand Guignol_.

Blood and body parts littered the floor. It was even worse than she thought.

All across the room were the butchered and mutilated bodies of children. Assassin saw chairs made from flesh and bone. There were lamps made of human skins. There was even an attempt to make a human piano organ. This place was no doubt the playground of a mad butcher. Distantly, she thought she could hear Rider's youthful Master vomiting in horror.

 _Master-._ She began

 _I see_. Kirei answered in a strange tone.

To her surprise, she saw a single figure standing upright in the poorly lit chamber. The figure of Caster turned around and revealed his grotesque, pallid features. Caster gave a wicked smile at the sight of Rider as he spread his arms forth in a mocking welcome. His spellbook was held in one hand.

''Welcome my guests! I have prepared a splendid banquet of slaughter for you!'' the crazed Servant told Rider.

After a moment a horde of monsters burst from the butchered corpses of the children, like a surging tide from a breached dam. All of a sudden, the water tank transformed into a chaotic battlefield.

* * *

It was dark and quiet in the Fuyuki streets. Streetlights dimly lit the area. The late winter weather in Fuyuki lent a chilly air to the city streets. It was fine enough during the day, but in early February the temperature dropped significantly. The streets were even emptier than usual. This absence was due to the recent reports of a serial killer wandering the streets. So, in turn, more people stayed inside.

 _Is that her?_ Berserker communicated with his Master.

After his failed attack on Archer's Master, Berserker had retreated and regrouped with Kariya. There they had to adjust their strategy to the news of Caster's rampage over the city. They had to wait for a new opportunity to present itself.

Currently, the Servant was lurking in astral form as he noted the slight form of a dark-haired young girl. She shivered despite the red coat she wore. She was evidently using a Mystic Code to do something. This was Rin Tohsaka, the daughter of Tokiomi. Kariya's familiars had spotted a group of children following her, and he had sent Berserker after her. His Master had made it quite clear that she was to be protected at all costs from anything dangerous on the streets.

What was she doing here all by herself? She was a young girl wandering the streets alone by herself. That lone fact was worrying enough. However, with the current state of the Holy Grail War and the renegade serial killer, things had become especially perilous.

Did she think she was on a mission of justice? Was she trying to help in some way? Berserker wondered about that as he trailed her.

In a way, a part of him admired the girl's courage to do that sort of thing. At the same time, he acknowledged that it was an incredibly dangerous thing for her to do.

There might be the chance that she would be picked up by a passing police car, or found by the authorities. So Berserker had kept himself hidden and trailed after her when he spotted her.

He had been about to move in and introduce himself when he spotted something in the darkness. Eventually, he made out the form of one of Caster's summoned familiars as it stalked the young girl. Was this another one of Caster's leftovers? It moved over the fence next to the abandoned train station and leaped at Rin, who had only too late realized the danger.

As the aquatic demon appeared, Berserker saw it and pulled out his knife. Even in this powerless state, he was still strong enough to destroy just one of these summoned familiars. His knife cut through the air as he sliced through the creature and tore apart its spiritual core. After a second it hit the floor and dissolved.

With that, the blonde-haired youth stood before the little girl.

''Young Lady, you should be more careful'' Berserker spoke in a kind voice as he cleaned off his knife and looked at the young lady in front of him.

''Wh-what? Who're you!'' Rin sputtered, holding up her fists in a show of defiance.

The blonde-haired man smiled softly and put away his weapon.

''I mean you no harm, but you should not be walking around like this,'' Berserker told her.

Even so, the girl refused to change her expression. Berserker nodded. That was understandable. He was, after all, a stranger. Beneath her stubborn front, the young girl was probably terrified about her current situation.

Rin knew what the Holy Grail War was if only in the most basic elementary terms. The man before her seemed reasonable, but at the same time, he had also destroyed that thing in the shadows. Was this one of the Masters that her father had spoken about? At any rate, Rin felt hesitant to trust him.

''Rin it's okay. He's my friend,'' a voice wheezed out behind Rin.

''Wha- Uncle Kariya?'' Rin blinked in surprise, seeing the hooded form of Kariya limp by the wall. Even in the dim light, she could see his horrifically scarred features. What had happened to him?

''Please Rin. It's alright,'' Kariya moved forth and pulled back his hood, exposing his face more thoroughly.

''What are you doing here? You have to get to someplace safe,'' Kariya said urgently.

''I-I can help. I needed to help my friend Kotone. I'm a T-Tohsaka magus,'' the young magus girl sputtered a bit, still in shock at seeing Kariya's appearance. Despite that, her hostility had faded. It was evident this was a man she knew and trusted.

''You need to get to safety. What about your mother?'' Kariya continued. The Matou Master knelt next to her.

''I-I-'' The young twin-tailed girl looked at the ground, as if suddenly ashamed.

''Please Rin, for my sake and your mother's sake, please get to safety,'' Kariya asked her in a concerned tone, his single eye filled with worry.

''But I can help. What about the guy killing people?'' Rin asked.

''Miss Rin, please don't worry. We can track down this criminal. You should get yourself to a place of safety,'' Berserker spoke up.

''But I-'' Rin bit her lip and looked at her feet again. She felt ashamed of herself.

That wasn't something she would normally feel. She was a prideful and stubborn young girl. Had it been anyone else, she would have ignored them. In the face of a close family friend like Kariya, she could only feel sheepish.

''Okay Uncle Kariya. I'll do that,'' she said. Above her, Kariya gave a tired smile at her acceptance.

''Good. Don't worry Rin. You'll be safe with Aoi again. Sakura will be okay too. You'll be sisters again. I promise,'' Kariya told her as he stood up slowly. Rin flinched a bit at the mention of her sister's name. A name that was now taboo in the Tohsaka household.

''Master, might I recommend taking her to the nearest police station? She would be the safest there. Your appearance might be cause for alarm,'' Berserker interjected politely.

Kariya glanced at his Servant. It was a good suggestion no matter how you looked at it. Kariya's appearance might get him arrested, his Servant seemed like handsome and polite young gentlemen.

''Alright then,'' he said finally to the blond-haired Servant.

* * *

From the shadows, Kariya watched as Berserker led Rin to the front step of the Fuyuki police station headquarters. They had been working 24/7 in light of the recent serial killer attacks, so they were ready to take in a wandering child.

As the landowner of the Fuyuki leylines, Kariya had no doubt that Tokiomi had connections in the police department to help cover up the existence of magecraft. Even if he hated Tokiomi, these police officers should understand Rin's significance. The thought of Tokiomi left a bitter taste in his mouth. What kind of father would put his child in danger like this? It was his fault that Rin could have been killed. It was just like Tokiomi to let his daughters suffer.

His thoughts were interrupted when his Servant materialized next to him in the dark ally.

''The young lady is safe inside the police building. You need not worry Master,'' Berserker reported.

''Good,'' Kariya said as he slumped down on the wall.

A few seconds passed.

''She seemed to be a very kind-hearted young girl. I can understand why you're worried about her,'' The blonde-haired Servant stated.

''Yeah, I've known Rin since she was a baby. Aoi loves her so much. It would break her heart if anything happened to her,'' his Master replied.

''Indeed. Children are precious. They are the next generation, after all,'' Berserker sat down next to him.

''Even so, she did not want to talk about her sister,'' the Servant went on.

''That's Tokiomi's fault. He's the one preventing Sakura from being with her family,'' Kariya muttered darkly.

''I suppose that may be, but what about the mother? I don't mean to make assumptions, but did you consider Miss Aoi's role in this?'' Berserker questioned.

''No, Aoi was forced into this. I know her. She's too gentle to argue back,'' Kariya said stubbornly.

Berserker paused, looking over his Master's features. He wanted to press on further, but he did not know either of the parents personally. So in this situation, he had to take Kariya's word for it. But that did not stop the feeling that there was more to this whole situation.

Perhaps his Master was blinded by bias?

Whatever the case, Berserker decided to switch to another topic.

''Master, one of Caster's familiars was out tonight. We should redouble our efforts to hunt him down,'' the Servant suggested.

''Maybe. I'm disgusted by what Caster's doing, but I don't trust the Church on this one,'' Kariya replied.

''Why?'' the Servant asked quizzically.

''I've lived here for years. The Tohsaka family's always been close to the Church. They were hidden Christians once. I wouldn't be surprised if the Kotomine priest is in Tokiomi's pocket,'' the Matou Master spat bitterly.

Again with Tokiomi. Berserker privately thought. It seemed his Master had tunnel vision concerning that man.

''So you are suspicious of this whole Command Spell reward offer?'' the Servant questioned.

''More or less,'' his Master confirmed.

''That may be, but as a Servant in the Holy Grail War, shouldn't we have to deal with Caster sooner or later?'' Berserker noted. After all, the six other Servants would have to be defeated.

Kariya paused, thinking it over.

''Yeah, you're right about that,'' the white-haired man acknowledged.

''If one of those things were present, then either Caster or his Master might be on the streets tonight,'' The servant noted.

With that, both Master and Servant set out into the cold darkness to seek out their enemy.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** The battle begins between Rider and Caster next chapter. In a divergence from canon, Caster is present when Rider and Waver made their raid into the sewers.

Arthur's dialogue with Irisviel is partially inspired by his lines in Grand Order. Apparently, regular Mordred is much cuter than his Mordred.

Due to Saber's identity not be revealed as a King, Rider was not inclined to seek him out. I guess you could say his dialogue with Lancer is the rough equivalent to canon's Feast of Kings. Karna himself is technically a King himself, though Karna himself cares nothing about his royal title. I suppose that Iskander might have a different conversation with Proto Arthur, given his different goals and personality. Though I don't think Iskandar would still approve of Arthur's wish. Unchanging stasis in an eternal kingdom might irk him more than even Arthuria's wish.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note:** Here is the release of the ninth Chapter. The next Chapter will most likely be a breather Chapter before we head into the second part of the story.

Also, Fate/Apocrypha is now airing. I'm pleased to see Karna and Chiron are both now in fully animated form.

* * *

 **Of Relics and Men-Chapter 9**

The only suitable hunter of humans is another human.

That's what Ryuunosuke had said to Caster before. Caster had to agree with his friend's philosophy. The youth was quite insightful in those matters, opening up possibilities into the arts of murder that Caster hadn't considered before. Certainly, beasts such as wolves and tigers might be fierce, but the most suitable killer of humans was still a human.

Granted, Servants were technically inhuman, but Caster thought it counted.

Here in this dimly lit sewer chamber, one could observe a group of figures in the darkness. No, perhaps it was better to say that one could see Rider, Waver, and Caster among the sea of tentacles and shark-like teeth that covered the sewer. In the water tank buried inside the Fuyuki sewer system, a showdown between two legends was taking place. Here the Servant of the Spell prepared to confront the invader to his Workshop. Bluebeard had been making plans for this.

He had prepared a trap for any intruders. Having been formed by the Caster-class skill of Territory Creation, this Workshop concealed a vast number of familiars that Caster had prepared in case Saber attacked again. They were magically hidden so that they might ambush an intruder. By utilizing all the remaining children as sacrificial catalysts, he had been able to summon this much. Since this was his Workshop, it made it especially easy for Prelati's Spellbook to perform the summoning magecraft. He was able to double the number of sea monsters he would have been able to summon outside of this Workshop.

The only downside was that Caster had to burn through all the children that he and Ryunnosuke had painstakingly collected. He had intended to take his time with them. It was a pity though, as Caster would have preferred to go through his victims slowly. Quality over quantity so to speak.

Still, there would be time for that afterward.

The type of warfare that Gilles de Rais excelled at is siege warfare. He earned his greatest victories alongside Jeanne D'Arc at Orleans. As such he was experienced in that sort of combat. When it came to defending his position, he was confident. Even in his aspect as ''Bluebeard'', he did not lose his experience in those tactics.

Cleverly, Caster had made sure the battlefield was in his favor. He had summoned what seemed to be a near infinite sea of monsters in the sewer pipes. Rider had destroyed the ones guarding the entrances to the sewer pipe, but Caster was able to summon more monsters from their bodies. That meant that Rider was now surrounded.

The two divine oxen of Rider's Noble Phantasm were currently restrained by thick tentacles that Caster had summoned forth. Like fat-bodied pythons, they made it so the supernatural creatures could not move a single muscle. In doing so, Caster had been able to restrain Rider's Noble Phantasm temporarily. With Rider's trump card out of the picture, the enemy Servant was forced into an unfavorable position. True, The Gordius Wheel was an Anti-Army weapon, but it was only unidirectional. Currently, it was surrounded where the summoned creatures could attack.

Now Rider and his Master were surrounded by a vast horde of these aquatic monsters. They would move forward and strike right at Rider's spiritual core. Both the impudent Servant and his Master would be torn to shreds by the creatures that Caster had summoned. In normal circumstances, these sea horrors could not match Rider in close quarters. However, regarding sheer numbers, they could drown him in bodies. More to the point, Rider had to protect his Master all the same.

The only pity was that Ryunnosuke wasn't around to see this, Caster reflected. His young Master thought the violence of the Holy Grail War was an impressive event.

''Hahahaha! You insolent fool! How does it feel to be torn apart by my monsters? You should curse your arrogance!'' Caster laughed at Rider, waving his book as he did so. It was glowing with purple light. Currently, Caster's Noble Phantasm was emitting a truly immense amount of magical energy in spell-like waves.

Hidden by her Presence Concealment, Assassin studied the situation. Even among the sea of monsters, she was able to remainl undetected. Currently, it seemed like Caster had achieved a victory here. Rider could not maneuver his chariot with the sea demons restraining his divine bulls. More to the point, this space was enclosed and was it hard to perform significant maneuvering with the chariot.

In addition to that, the way behind her was now closed off as new sea demons had been summoned from the defeated remains of the previous ones. So she might not be able to sneak out with her Presence Concealment.

Still, even so, she felt like she should defeat Caster and not retreat. This murdering Servant could not be allowed to run roughshod over the Holy Grail War and slaughter his way through children. She gripped one of her white-hilted dirks. If she could maneuver from behind and launch an ambush, it might be possible. It was a question if she could kill him before being intercepted by the sea demons. Granted, her Noble Phantasm was poisonous and lethal to Caster's creatures. However, it was only an Anti-Unit Noble Phantasm, able to kill one or two creatures at a time. Against hundreds of Caster's familiars, she was ill-equipped to deal with that.

 _Master Kirei, what do you wish for me to do?_ She asked her Master.

 _Should I try to help Rider or to retreat?_ She continued.

There was a brief moment of silence before Kirei spoke.

 _If you think you can maneuver your way out of here, then do so. Otherwise, your only priority is to observe the enemy Servants._

Assassin gritted her teeth at Kirei's response before turning her attention back to the situation at hand.

Even in this perilous situation, Rider did not change his expression. His grim features looked over the scenes of slaughter and butchery in Caster's workshop without showing fear or hesitation. Rather there was only disgust and contempt.

''I see. Is this what you've been doing Caster?'' Rider spoke out in a loud voice.

''Rider!'' Waver whimpered in fear as the aquatic monsters closed all around them. It was only natural that he would be terrified in this situation. The youth was filled with dread at seeing the atrocities that Caster made in his workshop. As the summoned sea creatures prepared to strike. Rider calmed him down with a firm hand on his shoulder.

''Caster. I do not recognize you as a fellow Heroic Spirit. I withdraw my offer of alliance to you. The only thing that remains is to slay you,'' the hulking Servant told his enemy.

''Ha! Do you intend to babble on even in the face of defeat? I'll make your Master scream before you disappear!'' Caster laughed.

Rider merely gave a triumphant smile.

''Oh? Is that so? Let me show you my greatest treasure then!'' the crimson-haired king exclaimed.

Even with the poor ventilation in the water tank, a gust of wind picked up as an enormous amount of magical energy filled the air. It was strange. Everyone could feel an unusual heat fill the air, along with the grainy texture of sand…

''I shall show you the real worth of the Heroic Spirits under my command!'' Rider roared.

Then everything was enveloped in a flash of light.

When it faded, Fuyuki was gone.

The dark city sewers of Fuyuki were instead painted over by a vast, scorching desert. On one side was Rider and Waver. On the other end of the desert were Caster and his demons. Evidently, their positions had been switched around by some means.

''A Reality Marble?'' questioned Rider's Master, who looked around with surprise. At Rider's side, Waver gawped in awe as his Servant dismounted the Gordius Wheel.

''Indeed! This world is my greatest Noble Phantasm!'' the red-haired king nodded with confidence.

There was a thunderous rumbling in the distance, like great war drums. At once everyone turned to see thousands of shapes emerge from the phantasmal mirage in the distance. Closer and closer they walked until the forms of thousands of soldiers revealed themselves.

Behind Rider, thousands of radiant soldiers clad in archaic armor appeared on the horizon. There was an immense multitude of them, arranged in disciplined ranks and marching in perfect formation. It was a majestic and breathtaking sight that had the hidden Assassin filled in fear and awe. More to the point, this host of soldiers was exceptional. The aquatic monsters of Prelati's Spellbook couldn't possibly compare to these warriors.

''They're all Servants?'' Waver gasped in amazement.

It was truly a Noble Phantasm that deserved its rank of EX. To summon multiple Heroic Spirits by oneself without the use of the Grail's Servant system was an astonishing feat. It was a miracle worthy of the title of ''Noble Phantasm''. Each one was a notable figure who had carved his name into history. Eumenes of Cardia. Craterus. Antigonus the One-Eyed. Ptolemy. Seleucus I Nicator. Hephaestion. All were noble warriors and remarkable heroes.

''These soldiers swore loyalty to me in life and serve me even now! Ours is a bond beyond space and time! I am never alone as long as I have their loyalty! This army is my Noble Phantasm Ionioi Hetairoi!'' The King of Conquerors proclaimed.

Ionioi Hetairoi _: Army of the King._ The EX-Rank Anti-Army Noble Phantasm of Alexander the Great. It embodied his army, who swore loyalty to Rider even after their mortal deaths and became Heroic Spirits. Regardless of space and time, they appeared now to fight once more.

Assassin stood, having maintained her Presence Concealment when she was taken into this world. Somehow she had been pulled into the Reality Marble. Was it a function of Rider's Noble Phantasm or did he detect her somehow? Regardless she was filled with awe and fear at the sight of Rider's army. There was no possible way that she could survive an attack by this army, being unsuited to direct combat. How could anyone defeat this immensely powerful Noble Phantasm? Could even Lancer defeat this horde?

 _Master._ She communicated telepathically.

 _I understand._ Kirei said grimly. Being a Master, he could use his ''Master's vision'' to assess the Noble Phantasm through Assassin's eyes.

On this desert plain, over ten thousand Companion soldiers formed up against nine hundred sea monsters. Infantry with the long sarissa pikes formed up alongside tanned archers and skirmishers, the ranks of the famous Macedonian heavy cavalry formed up in disciplined squadrons. Next to Rider, a majestic and splendid horse rode up, easily the equal of any of Rider's magnificent soldiers. The red-haired king grinned when he saw the beast, and he mounted the horse with practiced ease.

''Good to see you, my old friend,'' Rider greeted Bucephalus warmly, ruffling his mane with affection. With that, he turned around and faced Caster.

Across the field, Caster's pallid features were trembling in terror and shock. In his hands, he desperately flipped through Prelati's Spellbook. Caster fully understood the danger he was now in, having been the general of a nation's armies. Even under his madness, he realized his chance of victory was zero. All around him his demons formed up in a mob, unaware of the fate about to befall them.

''Caster it seems you're outnumbered here. How unfortunate for you, but this plain is my favorite battleground,'' Rider gave a triumphant smirk as he pulled out his broad-bladed sword and whipped it out at Caster's army.

''CHARGE!'' he roared.

With the sound of a thundering avalanche, Rider's vast army followed him with roaring battle cries on their lips. Assassin and Waver remained still, looking out in curiosity and awe as the human tidal wave approached Caster's force.

It was a massacre.

What followed wasn't entirely one-sided. The water demons didn't know fear and didn't retreat. However, the outcome was never in doubt. Rider's soldiers greatly surpassed Caster's monsters in both quantity and quality. Alexander the Great was a better commander than Gilles de Rais. With those factors in place, Rider's troops proceeded to annihilate everything that stood before them.

The Companion cavalry hacked through the center of Caster's minions, while Rider's elite infantry pinned down Caster's flanks. Like a vice crushing a walnut, Rider's army enveloped and destroyed Caster's forces. Armored soldiers sliced and stabbed their way through inhuman horrors, slicing off tentacles and stomping the carcasses of Caster's monsters beneath their boots before the abominations could regenerate. The pounding charge of the Macedonian cavalry overran Caster's position as he attempted to cast another spell.

Frantically, Caster was trying to cast another spell, one on the level of a Grand Ritual that could bring forth his ultimate sea monster. By merging forth all the familiars under his command, he would summon forth a massive abomination, a skyscraper-sized demon to combat Rider's troops and win victory.

However, he didn't have _enough time_.

Midway through the spell Caster died screaming in rage as swords and spears hacked him down, and his water demons were slain all around him. Rider's troops overtook him too fast for him to complete his magecraft. When the last sea monster was killed, Rider and his army broke into a chorus of raucous cheers.

They had done it. Caster was slain, and the Holy Grail War had its first casualty.

Servant Caster, Gilles de Rais, former comrade to Jeanne D'Arc, was defeated.

With that, the desert world of Iskandar melted away to reveal the cold dark sewers of Fuyuki once again. Rider walked over and mounted the Gordius Wheel again alongside Waver who was still in a state of shock and awe at what he just witnessed. Caster was just crushed in a truly spectacular manner by Rider's grand Noble Phantasm. Amidst the placid setting of the sewer, it almost seemed hard to believe that Waver had just been among thousands of roaring men in the hot desert.

''Well then, I suppose we should clean this mess up,' Rider said as he looked over the remains of Caster's workshop. Besides him his Master went pale at the horrific sight around him, having scarcely recovered his wits from seeing the grandeur of Ionioi Hetairoi.

 _Master? What should I do?_ Assassin asked, still gripping her dagger with a tense feeling. She was still hidden. Should she attempt to kill Rider's Master?

 _No, withdraw at once._ _We have what we need right now._ Kirei told her in their mental link.

This information was important. Tokiomi had to know about this before they proceeded further. To think that Rider had been concealing something like _this_. Assassin couldn't be wasted against this foe. Or at least until more information could be acquired.

Assassin didn't waste a second, with incredible speed, she darted out of the sewer workshop and into the city above as the roar of lightning filled the gutters behind her.

* * *

''Oh man, what happened?' Ryunnosuke muttered as he looked at the blasted remains of his hideout.

He had been out hunting for new children to use in his art when that dark-haired brat had surprised him and made off with his prey. That was bad enough. Then he felt a strange pain as the red marks on his hand begun to fade into smudges. It felt like Sir Bluebeard had left him. When he came back, he had been horrified. Bluebeard was gone, and their hideout had been burned and destroyed. All of his art was obliterated. All of the cool stuff that he and Sir Bluebeard had worked on had been annihilated as if from a bombing run.

''Eh? Caster? Sir Bluebeard?'' Ryunnosuke looked around, calling out his friend's name over and over again.

It seemed harsh, but Ryunnosuke suspected that the very worst might have happened to Bluebeard. He might be dead. After all, he was fighting all these other weird guys for something. He could have gotten into a brawl and died somehow.

He didn't want to believe it, but some part of his subconscious already guessed the truth. His great friend was probably gone, and there was no one left to replace the robed man. There was none who understood Ryunnosuke like that and no one to help him. When Bluebeard appeared to him, Ryuunosuke considered it to be the happiest day of his life. He was aware that society didn't approve of his art, and he would be arrested if he had ever been found out. The fact that someone with the same mindset had appeared in front of him was a great blessing for Ryunnosuke.

He would also never be able to witness all the cool forms of killing and death Caster brought with him by demonstrating his magic. Even if Ryuunosuke went back to serial killing, he felt it wouldn't be as good as Caster's artwork.

In other words, he felt lost.

Then the redhead stopped in surprise.

There were two figures before him. One was a shambling half-dead looking man dressed in a hoodie.

The other was a hulking creature that stood over two meters tall. The large figure's black-furred frame seemed to emerge out of the shadows seamlessly. The creature's crimson eyes glared at the serial killer with the intensity of a carnivorous beast of prey. It was akin a bloodthirsty hound waiting for the command of its owner.

The white-haired man held his arm at his side as he looked up and glared at the serial killer with one good eye, the other a milky-white ruin.

''You. You must be Caster's Master. You've been shouting out that name for a bit now,'' the disfigured man stared out at Ryunnosuke with his one good eye as he supported himself.

''Did you do this?'' the hooded newcomer asked the redhead. Ryunnosuke blinked in surprise as he took a step back.

''You sick bastard. You're going to pay for hurting Rin,'' the hooded man snarled. He turned to the beast at his side.

''Kill him,'' he commanded.

Ryunnosuke stood, paralyzed with shock and fear as the black-furred monster lurched forward, claws and fangs at the ready. Before the youth was a twisted creature that hardly resembled a human being. No, in fact, the beast more resembled one of those predators that Ryunnosuke had so admired.

Indeed, Ryunnosuke had thought of himself as the hunter for so long. Right now he was experiencing the new emotion of being the prey.

He hardly had time to gasp before Berserker tore him to shreds.

* * *

Irisviel tripped and fell to the ground. She had been walking alongside the blonde swordsman in one of the main hallways when she had felt a sudden sensation.

Saber caught her before she could hurt herself. It had been several hours since she had refused the alliance with Archer. She had spent the time since then talking with Kiritsugu and getting his view on it. That was only natural. Kiristugu had concurred for the moment. He still had faith in his countermeasures, and he did not intend to form any real alliances with the other Masters. He would kill them all, just like Acht had commanded. That was the ruthless way of the Magus Killer.

''Lady Irisviel?

The snow-haired woman gasped in sudden shock and pain. She could feel a presence moving inside of her. There was a strange numbness that seemed to form within her limbs. Already she felt exhausted.

''I'm fine Saber. Just a bit sleepy,'' Irisviel lied, noting Saber's concerned features.

''If that's the case then perhaps you should go to bed?'' Saber told her. However, his eyes looked her over dubiously. He didn't quite buy her excuse.

Something was wrong with her, but Saber didn't know just what. However, it was something that Irisviel herself knew very well. It was her purpose for existing. One of the Servants had been defeated, and she had taken in its soul due to acting as the Holy Grail. She didn't know which Servant had been killed, but if she had to guess, then she would think that it would be Caster. It was a reasonable assumption, given Caster was being hunted down by the rest of the participants.

''Is there anything else you would need?'' the silver knight asked her.

''No, it's fine. I should feel better soon,'' Irisviel lied to the Servant. It wouldn't do for the Servant to get distracted by her problems. After all, that was her purpose. She existed to fulfill Kiritsugu's wish.

Still, the pain was less than she thought. She knew that Acht had merely designed her to be an adequate cup. She expected to completely lose her sense of self after two or three Servants were absorbed, but it seemed like Avalon was holding back her degradation for a bit.

She sighed and moved into one of the rooms that she had been using to rest. Saber politely shut the door behind her.

Even so, the silver knight's emerald gaze turned away from the door and looked out into the city skyline, where his Master should be.

* * *

Tokiomi strode across the room of his workshop, lost deep in his thoughts.

Lit only by some flickering candles, there were only two figures in the chamber. Tokiomi and Lancer. Kirei had reported to his ally over their connection that Tokiomi had set up. The priest carried sobering news.

First of all, Caster was slain. That in itself was good news, but that also came with bad news.

Tokiomi had good reason to be pensive. Assassin had witnessed Rider's second Noble Phantasm, Ionioi Hetairoi: _Army of the King._ He was surprised that Rider had been hiding something like that. It was an EX-Rank Noble Phantasm of immense potency. It was the sort of miracle that subverted Heaven's Feel's system of summoning Servants.

This ability immediately elevated Rider up on the list of threats. With an entire army of Servants at his command, he had the possibility of overwhelming all the other competitors with that absurdly-strong Noble Phantasm. Also, the final blow on Caster had been delivered by Rider and not Lancer. So, in other words, Waver Velvet would receive the additional Command Spell that had been promised instead of Tokiomi. It was a snub to the proud Tohsaka head who had been confident in his plans.

The red-suited magus glanced at Lancer. The Servant had, after all, failed to slay Caster. The golden armored spearmen stood there, unblinking and stoic as he awaited his Master's orders. Did the demigod feel remorse or regret in failing in Tokiomi's orders?

No, it was foolish to blame Lancer, Tokiomi decided. A Servant, after all, was just a tool of the Master.

Like any tool, Lancer existed to follow instructions. He could have easily defeated Caster with his Anti-Country Noble Phantasm. However, that Noble Phantasm could not be unleashed without Tokiomi's instructions. The blame rested wth the Master.

Still, even with things not going according to plan, there was a silver lining to this night. With the reveal of Rider's ultimate Noble Phantasm, Tokiomi now knew about Rider's full abilities and trump cards. Caster was a minor threat in the end. As the Tohsaka faction closed in at the end of the Holy Grail War, Rider would be a significant obstacle.

That and the first of the Servants had fallen. Caster would now be the first of the seven charges to prime the Holy Grail for its real purpose. Saber, Archer, Rider,Caster, Assassin, Berserker and-

Tokiomi paused. That would also be his Lancer as well. When the time came, he would have to force Lancer to commit suicide. It was fortunate for him that his Servant was so submissive and obedient. The demigod did not question Tokiomi's plans. Otherwise, Lancer might have understood that Tokiomi intended to kill him too.

''I suppose it can't be helped. It might have been better to see Rider's Noble Phantasm than killing Caster and have Rider surprise us later with his army,'' Tokiomi mused, stroking his goatee. This way they might be able to recover from that mistake. After all, Kirei's Assassin was still in play. They could always try for an assassination of Rider's Master with the poison-user. Granted, the red-haired king was always next to his Master, but there was always the possibility of Hassan slipping past.

''The opportunity with Caster passed us by. There's no point in contemplating missed chances,'' Lancer spoke plainly.

''At least this way, Caster is dead without any considerable collateral damage,'' Tokiomi mused. Mentally he winced a bit at the thought of trying to cover up the aftermath of Brahmastra Kundala being fired in the middle of the Shinto district.

''You're worrying about Rider,'' his Servant observed calmly.

''It is only prudent,'' the fire magus responded.

''What is your opinion on Rider's Noble Phantasm?'' Tokiomi asked in curiosity. True, he was the Master, but Heroic Spirit Karna was a warrior with greater battle experience than Tokiomi, having served as the commander of the Kaurava armies.

''It is true that King Iskander is a formidable opponent. His divine chariot is powerful, and his soldiers seem to be impressive. It is a commendable feat to command such loyalty even after death-'' Lancer mused.

''But?'' Tokiomi added.

''As for my assessment of Rider's battle strength, he is a great challenge, but I believe I can defeat him,'' Lancer spoke with absolute confidence.

* * *

Risei sighed in exasperation as the forms of Waver Velvet and his Servant retreated from sight.

Risei had been about all night taking care of the business with Caster. The Mad Servant's rampage had to be covered up. Usually, Risei had his employees and hired assistants to help clean up the damage and put forth the cover stories, but tonight they were stretched thin, so Risei had to involve himself more directly. Scarcely an hour had passed after Risei had arrived back at the Church when Rider came in his thunderous chariot with his Master in tow. Entering the church with a feeling of victory, they had demanded their prize for killing Caster.

Risei could not refuse. The reputation of the Church was on the line. Refusing to issue a Command Spell to Velvet would inevitably cause the Masters to lose all trust in the Church as a mediator, and they would operate without any regard for oversight. It would be like the Third Holy Grail War all over again. He shuddered mentally, recalling those destructive and chaotic memories of Masters engaging in open warfare in broad daylight. The chaos of that war had been the reason for the involvement of the Church supervisor in the first place.

In the worst case scenario, the Church itself might become a target by vengeful Masters who would resent the blatant display of favoritism. There was already a certain amount of suspicion with Risei's son being one of the Masters. Risei still needed to make sure that the Church would be a haven in case of the event that Kirei or Tokiomi lost their Servants.

So with reluctance, he had transferred a single Command Spell to the beaming face of Waver Velvet while his Servant clasped an encouraging hand on the boy's shoulder. Like triumphant kings, they had left the Church with their prize in tow, the Gordius Wheel flying off into the sky.

Risei sighed. Tokiomi wouldn't be happy with him, but still, he felt this was the best possible choice. At least now Caster had been taken care of, and the Heaven's Feel ritual could get back on its course. Tokiomi still commanded a strong Servant, and Kirei's Assassin was also in the shadows. If he explained things to Tokiomi, then his friend should understand the circumstances.

Then someone else entered the chapel.

Risei eyed the shambling figure that came stumbling into the Church, his single eye looking out suspiciously under his hood at Risei. He was carrying something in a cheap paper bag that was stained a ruddy crimson red.

Risei recognized him at once. His features differed from the pictures that Risei had seen, but there was no mistaking the Command Spells on his arm.

''Kariya Matou, what purpose do you have here?'' Risei schooled his features into a calm mask.

Kariya looked at him, exposing his withered and damaged features.

''You're handing out the reward for Caster and his Master right?'' Kariya asked.

''Indeed, but Rider's Master has already left. I don't recall Berserker taking part in Caster's death. Why are you here?'' the priest asked calmly, eyes darting to look at the bag Kariya carried.

Without a word, Kariya threw the bloodstained bag to the ground, exposing a gruesome sight. It was a severed human arm. It had evidently been severed with surgical precision by a knife. Looking closer, Risei could see the half-faded marks of Command Spells on the wrist.

''Berserker killed Caster's Master as he was fleeing from the scene. I took this arm as proof. The directive was to kill both Caster and his Master, was it not?'' Kariya grinned triumphantly.

Of course, it wasn't surprising that Kariya would also seek out the extra miracle, having spent a Command Spell earlier to recall Berserker from the battle at the Tohsaka mansion. He was in a weak position as it was and anything would help at this point, especially another invaluable Command Spell to control the wild and insane Servant Berserker.

Risei failed to hide a grimace. He did announce both Caster and his Master as targets. While Caster was obviously the main threat, his Master could have always escaped and formed a bond with another Servant later in the war. Kariya was splitting hairs here, and Risei was tempted to refuse him. Then again there was also his previous issue with the Church's shaky reputation. That and there was no telling what Kariya would do if Risei refused. He might accuse Risei of being in Tokiomi's pay and attack him here. It was very likely Berserker was lurking nearby in spiritual form.

In the worst case, Berserker would kill Risei.

Tokiomi would not be very happy that Risei handed out two Command Spells to rival Masters, but at this point, Risei felt he had little choice. The welfare of the Church was something that Risei valued more than his alliance with Tokiomi, as important as the Tohsaka family agreement was to the Church. He was Tokiomi's equal and not his subordinate.

''Very well, hold out your hand,'' Risei sighed as he prepared to transfer another Command Spell to Kariya.

* * *

The moonlight shone down as Archer concealed himself in the tree line.

He didn't possess the Presence Concealment of the Assassin class, but he did have similar techniques that allowed him to hide in the shadows of the forests. He should be he undetectable as long as he didn't try to make preparations for attack.

He saw the forms of Servant Rider and his young Master exit the Church and leave on their flying chariot. A few minutes later he detected the presence of another Master as the hooded man entered the Church and left shortly afterward. In both cases, he resisted the urge to attack. For one thing, the Church was neutral ground. As for the Servants, Rider was close by his Master's side, and Berserker was probably hiding nearby like before.

The supervisor was handing out the prizes for killing Caster. That in itself was bad enough for Kayneth's team, but to have Waver Velvet gain a Command Spell was another sting against the blue-suited noble. The fact that his wayward student had been able to get to the prize must have rankled his pride.

 _I'm disappointed in you Archer, allowing Caster to slip free_ , Kayneth admonished his Servant.

Archer paused as he regarded his Master's words. To be fair is Master did have a point.

 _You are correct Master. It won't happen again_ , he responded mentally.

 _I would hope not,_ Kayneth curtly replied.

 _However, bearing that in mind, perhaps it was true that we both underestimated Rider and Mr. Velvet._ Archer mentally noted.

He could analyze the form and demeanor of Waver from a distance with his divine eyesight. It was just a mere hunch, but Archer felt that Waver had an ember of potential that simply needed to be encouraged more. It was a skill he developed in his days as a teacher for the Greek heroes.

 _Ridiculous. It's mere luck that allowed that boy to proceed so,_ Kayneth scoffed and ended their conversation.

Archer sighed as he thought about his Master's words. Kayneth's indignation was blinding him to the changing tides of the Holy Grail War. He was allowing his wounded pride over his student to skew his viewpoint. It was an unfortunate thing to be sure.

Still, Archer had to admit that even he had underestimated Waver Velvet. That would not happen again.

The bowman paused and thought back again to the image of Rider's crimson cape flapping in the wind as he flew off on the Gordius Wheel into the sky. Did King Iskandar notice the potential that lay within that boy? Was that the reason for their victory? Whatever the case, Archer looked forward to fighting Rider and his young Master again. If the crimson king truly represented the same heroic ideal that Archer had seen in his very own Achilles, then Chiron wanted to test him. After all, Rider is a hero with a distant connection to Chiron's legend.

''Until next time,'' Archer said softly to himself before he turned into spirit form.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Caster is slain, and the first part of the story is effectively over. We now proceed to the second part of the Holy Grail War and the clash of the Three Families. Assassin is still alive, and only Tokiomi now has knowledge of the Army of the King. Jekyll gets to kill an enemy Master.

As noted in the story itself, Kariya's demand for a Command Spell was on shaky grounds, but in the light novels at least, Risei did put a bounty on Caster and his Master. I suppose it's not too different from Kayneth coaxing out a reward from Risei in canon.

As for the battle itself, Rider was able to overwhelm Caster before Caster could fully summon his Giant Horror. Otherwise, Caster's giant sea monster would have probably stalemated Iskandar's army like it did in canon.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note:** Here we are with the tenth Chapter. This Chapter is a bit shorter than usual, as it's just an interlude between the next story arc.

I'm pleased to announce that we are about halfway through the story. My thanks to all of those who reviewed this story and expressed interest in it.

* * *

 **Of Relics and Men-Chapter 10**

Maiya Hisau entered the Einzbern castle from a side entrance, making sure nobody saw her. It was now daylight outside, with the sun illuminating everything.

Under Kiritsugu's orders, she had been conducting recon in Fuyuki City, monitoring the hideouts of Tokiomi and Kayneth. She had finished her mission for tonight, and she headed back to the castle.

''Who goes there?'' a firm young male voice sounded out.

Maiya halted as she saw a blonde-haired man appear. He was standing near a side hallway in the castle.

''Ah, Kiritsugu's assistant. Are you here on business?'' the man asked. He had been standing guard.

''I am'' Maiya answered curtly.

Servant Saber, Arthur Pendragon, the Servant that Kiritsugu summoned. To Maiya, this man was no different from a gun or knife that her mentor owned.

Even so, she had to admit he was handsome, as a young maiden's fantasy prince from a legend. Of course, Maiya had long ago passed the point where she had those daydreams. Saber was a handsome young man, but at the same time, she only regarded him as Kiritsugu's tool. There was only one man she had feelings for, though he would never return them.

As she went past him, Saber started up again.

''Maiya was it?'' he asked.

She paused, wondering whether to answer him.

''That's my name,'' she replied calmly. There was no harm in that question.

''A beautiful lady serving as a hired killer. It's a shame,'' Saber sighed and turned to face her.

Maiya didn't reply to that, so Saber went on.

''You're quite close to Kiritsugu. May I ask to the exact nature of your relationship with that man?'' Saber inquired, moving near here.

''I'm his weapon. Just like you,'' Maiya answered in the same cold tone as before, not changing her expression.

She did not tell Saber she was sleeping with Kiritsugu, it wouldn't do for the Servant to have such knowledge. In the worst case scenario, he could draw the wrong conclusion from things and turn against Kiritsugu. Sure, her mentor possessed the Command Spells, but it was still a dangerous development.

The silver knight frowned at her words. It must have rankled his pride as a hero to be bluntly called a weapon.

''Do you really regard yourself as somebody like that? Do you have no sense of self-worth?'' the blonde-haired man asked her.

Maiya turned her back on Saber and began to walk off.

''This conversation is pointless. If it doesn't relate to the Grail War, then don't bother me,'' she told him curtly as she left the silver knight behind.

Left alone in the hallway, Saber frowned at her words.

* * *

Tokiomi sat down in his workshop, feeling satisfied by his progress so far. Oh, he had been irritated by the fact that Risei had handed out those immensely valuable Command Spells to Tokiomi's rivals, in particular, Kariya Matou. However, that was, in the end, a minor setback that wouldn't change his plans.

The only real obstacles to Tokiomi so far would be from the accomplished Lord El-Melloi and the Einzbern family. The other two Knight classes were under their command as well. As formidable as they were, Tokiomi was confident that Lancer could defeat them. After all, he had summoned the strongest Servant. He had just finished talking things over with Kirei and Risei. Now was the time. He finished his glass of red wine and snapped his fingers.

''Lancer appear,'' he commanded.

Immediately, golden light gathered, and Servant Lancer manifested. He bowed his head in deference.

''Tonight, you are to go to the Einzbern castle and kill Saber. Assassin will assist you. You are also to capture Saber's Master, the Einzbern homunculus,'' Tokiomi commanded.

''As you wish Master,'' Lancer obediently nodded. The spearman obeyed that order without question or hesitation.

Tokiomi had been satisfied with the information that Assassin had gathered so far. Caster is defeated, so now Tokiomi is free to focus on the other Servants. They had already assessed the battle strength of Archer, Rider, and Berserker. Saber was unknown, but he shouldn't be able to defeat Karna. Now was the time for Tokiomi's next plan to go into action. Karna would go on the offensive and crush all the Servants with his overwhelming might. Assassin would assist him from the shadows as needed. Then the Tohsaka family would gain the Grail.

As for the battle against Saber himself, victory seemed to be assured to Tokiomi. After all, both Saber and Berserker working together could not defeat Lancer. Now Lancer had an ally of his own, so victory should be easy.

''I permit you to utilize your Noble Phantasms as you see fit. I only ask you to be prudent in using them'' Tokiomi commanded.

''Thank you, Master,'' Lancer replied.

Now Lancer would be free to fight as he pleased. As long as the battle took place outside the city limits, then Lancer could unleash enormous devastation behind the Bounded Field surrounding the Einzbern castle. Even the magical defenses of that fortress would be like a thin balloon against Lancer's Noble Phantasm, Brahmastra Kundala: _O Brahma, Curse Me_.

If Lancer could capture the Einzbern homunculus, then Tokiomi could seize the container for the Holy Grail. If all things went according to plan, then he could hold the evocation site at the Tohsaka mansion and finally attain the Swirl of the Root.

As Tokiomi lost himself in thoughts of victory, his Servant went over the plan. Lancer had his own thoughts concerning the upcoming attack. Battle was coming, and he would clash for the second time against the Servant Saber who had so boldly faced him about four nights before.

This time, Lancer resolved to take Saber's head. He didn't hate the silver knight at all. Rather, as a warrior, it was the only resolution possible for Lancer.

* * *

''You're to accompany Lancer on his mission to kill Saber. You're to act in a supporting role,'' Kirei said in a straightforward and blunt tone to Assassin.

Both Master and Servant sat in their warehouse base in the Shinto district. Kirei had just received his orders from Tokiomi, and now the priest was relaying those commands to Assassin. The Tohsaka faction would finally go on the offensive.

Of course, Kirei had his own plans.

''You're ordered not to kill the Einzbern Master, the female homunculus,'' he continued. That was Tokiomi's second order. He wanted Saber's Master alive to be the container for the Holy Grail.

Tokiomi had finally been satisfied by gathering information. Now the Tohsaka faction would be launching their offensive. Both Lancer and Assassin would come together to kill all the enemy Servants, beginning with the troublesome Servant Saber. Now as an Assassin, the Hassan of Serenity did not expect to beat a Saber-class Servant in a frontal battle. However, with the invincible Lancer as her ally in this fight, she only had to hang back and provide support to the demigod.

''I understand Master,'' Assassin spoke as she knelt on the floor.

''That's not all. You're to refrain from killing this man, Kiritsugu Emiya,'' Kirei showed her a picture.

Assassin paused and studied the scruffy dark-haired Japanese man who glared out of the photo. As far as she understood, this man was one of the hired guns that the Einzbern faction had brought along for the war. Why was she not to kill him?

''Also, you'll be using your Independent Action skill while you're accompanying Lancer in the field. I will not be supplying you magical energy for this battle'' Kirei commanded.

Assassin possessed a high rank in Independent Action due to her specialty as an infiltrator. She could continue to operate even after rejecting her Master's magical energy; a privilege shared only by the Archer class. Why was Kirei asking her to utilize this ability?

''I will be heading out into the field to confront the enemy gunman myself,'' Kirei's emotionless voice suddenly carried a hint of anticipation to it. Assassin looked up at her Master quizzically.

Was her Master going to the battlefield by himself? It was true he was an experienced Executor, but he couldn't expect to survive against a Servant like Saber or Berserker by himself. He must have a vital objective that he had to achieve. This man, Kiritsugu, her Master was obsessed with him. Until now Assassin didn't realize just how much Kirei had been concerned by that man. He was preparing to go out onto the battlefield to risk his life to confront Emiya.

Now, Tokiomi had only issued orders for Assassin to go into battle. Of course, he also hadn't ordered Kirei _not_ to interfere, so with no explicit command to stay put, Kirei decided that he was within his rights as Tokiomi's ally to go into battle personally. The fact that both Kirei and Assassin would now openly appear onto the battlefield to fight was not lost on Assassin. It meant that Tokiomi was abandoning the pretense of neutrality to begin his campaign of annihilation.

Still, even Kirei's entrance into the battlefield still worked to Assassin's benefit. If Kirei died, then Assassin would be free to operate independently and find a Master who actually wanted to win the Holy Grail. It was a slim chance, but better than her current situation.

''I understand Master,'' She affirmed.

For Kirei, he could only feel anticipation and excitement. He would find and confront Kiritsugu Emiya. Then he would gain the answer to the emptiness lurking within his soul. He would see what drove the Magus Killer.

* * *

Kayneth finished arming himself, like a knight of old. Volumen Hydrargyrum was in his pocket. His other Mystic Codes were prepped and ready for battle. Kayneth was finally willing to go on the offensive.

With Caster's defeat, Kayneth felt he had been far too hesitant and restrained in his pursuit of the Holy Grail. This conflict was a battlefield where the Masters also competed. So Kayneth would be heading into the battlefield to take the head of an enemy Master. Much of this was to impress his fiancée, Sola-Ui, who was currently bandaged up after Archer had seen to her recuperation. So far, Kayneth was pleased by Archer's abilities. Heroic Spirit Chiron was indeed quite skilled in the healing arts.

The blue-suited professor made a decision. He would strike at the Einzbern camp and fight their Master, the Einzbern lady who controlled Saber. It was a simple decision. Lancer was too powerful to face head on. Both Rider and Berserker's locations were unknown to Kayneth. That naturally left the Einzbern castle and Saber.

Now Kayneth would prove his worth as a high-class magus. He was the strongest Master in this war. He had been anticipating matching spells with the likes of Tokiomi Tohsaka, or Zouken Matou, but the Einzbern homunculus should be a good warmup for the final duels.

''Master, I've finished up with the operation on Lady Sola-Ui,'' Archer reported.

''Will she be in good health?'' Kayneth asked his Servant.

''It's nothing life-threatening. She should recover full use of her arm in a few months,'' the bowman reported.

He had set her arm and done what he could. His healing skills reached A-Rank as part of his Gift of Divine Wisdom, having learned from the god Apollo and having taught Asclepius, Chiron was able to fix an injury that should have been crippling for Sola-Ui.

''Excellent,'' Kayneth nodded. After a few seconds, he spoke again.

''Thank you, Archer,'' he said.

It was mere politeness with no greater meaning behind it. Kayneth's tool had done an excellent job in fixing his fiancée's body. When it came to Sola-Ui, Kayneth was prepared to be a little softer when her health was on the line. It didn't change anything between Archer and himself, but even so, the bowman nodded in respect to his Master. Even if it was for a moment, he was pleased to see Kayneth react with gratitude and empathy towards others.

''We'll head to the battlefield when darkness falls,'' Kayneth told Archer.

''I see, you seek to attack the Einzberns then?'' Archer asked.

''Indeed. They refused my alliance, so now the Einzberns have set themselves as my enemy. You'll fight Saber while I take on the enemy Master, be they the homunculus woman Irisviel or someone else,'' Kayneth told him.

''I see that you've prepared yourself for this battle,'' Archer commented, observing Kayneth's collection of Mystic Codes.

''Of course. I am the finest magus in the war. If it's a contest of magecraft, then I have the advantage. Is your Noble Phantasm available for use again?'' Kayneth asked.

Antares Snipe was something that could be used only once per night. Of course, since Archer had last used it, had been three nights ago against Berserker.

''Indeed. I'm prepared,'' Archer noted.

'Splendid, have you formed a strategy for dealing with Saber? Are you confident of victory?'' Kayneth asked.

''I've run through some plans so far. I would prefer to know Saber's Noble Phantasm and his true identity before I fight him-'' Archer paused, hesitating.

''-I think I should be able to slay him before he invokes his Noble Phantasm. If the battle takes place in the forest, I believe I have the advantage,'' the sage explained.

Archer excels in a forested battlefield. With his techniques as a sage, he could blend in perfectly with the forest and use any number of points to snipe at Saber. If it came down to close combat, then Archer had already calculated the shape and length of the invisible sword. The bow-wielder could avoid the blade and make his own counterattack.

So Chiron estimated his chances of victory to be about sixty percent. If Archer had more information about the silver knight, then he could make a better guess about the battle's outcome. He planned to use Antares Snipe to pierce Saber's spiritual core the moment the silver knight tried to activate his Noble Phantasm. Timing was crucial here. If Archer was a second too late, it could be Saber's blade that pierced his heart.

He would prefer to learn of Saber's Noble Phantasm before he attacked, but at the same time, Archer could see that Kayneth was determined to fight. The centaur was adept at reading his Master's emotions and thoughts. No words from Archer would change the mind of his Master. For better or worse they would attack the Einzbern castle tomorrow.

It was also lamentable that Saber's Master had refused the offer of alliance against the golden Lancer. Chiron believed that he and Saber could defeat Lancer if they worked together. The silver knight was concealing a high power beneath the wind-shrouded blade of his. Would this attack prove to be a mistaken gamble on Kayneth's part?

Turning into spirit form outside, Archer prepared for the upcoming fight.

''Good grief. I suppose I have no choice in the matter,'' he murmured to himself, outside of his Master's hearing.

The silver lining to it all was that at least this battle should be taking place far from the city limits, so hopefully, there would be no civilian casualties.

* * *

Saber entered Irisviel's room carrying a tray with herbal tea on it. He doesn't like to think of himself as a great cook, but he does have some experience in making food. He remembered Sir Ector's lessons as a child. He hoped that this tea would help his decoy Master feel better. She had fallen ill ever since last night when Caster was killed.

''Lady Irisiviel?'' he called out, opening the door with his free hand.

''I'm here Saber,'' her voice called out. She sounded calm and healthy. Saber stepped in to see Irisivel finish putting on her boots. The noble lady was already dressed and sitting on the bed.

''I made this for you,'' Saber cleared his throat and offered the tea to Irisviel.

''Oh, thank you, Saber,'' the snow-haired woman smiled and accepted it gracefully.

Even so, Saber's eyes didn't miss the slight awkwardness to her movements. She seemed uncomfortable despite the smile on her face.

''Are you feeling well now Irisviel?'' Saber asked.

''Indeed. It's just a stomach bug,'' Irisviel told the silver knight.

Saber didn't believe Irisviel, but even so, he accepted that falsehood. Irisiviel was hiding something from him, and it had to be for a good reason. He didn't think Irisiviel would lie to him for no reason. So he had to nod and smile.

''What are your plans now?'' Irisviel asked Saber.

''I'm awaiting for orders, although my Master isn't interested in cooperating with me,'' Saber commented bitterly.

Irisiviel looked down into her tea, knowing all too well her husband's personality.

''If he doesn't issue any orders by tomorrow then I'll go out and take the initiative,'' Saber told her.

''What kind of plan do you have in mind?'' Irisviel looked at him.

''I'll go out and defeat some Servants. I'll see if Archer or Rider are still roaming about the city. I won't lie. This time I'll release Excalibur entirely to defeat them,'' Saber noted.

They were both powerful opponents, so they deserved his full power. Of course, he wouldn't use Excalibur in a crowded area, so choosing an empty battlefield would be a necessary step. Also, the Constraints of the Round Table would have to be released, but even three or four should be enough to overwhelm Rider's chariot or Archer's bow.

It's not overconfidence, but something that Saber had thought about all day when reviewing his opponents.

Of course, there's also the greatest obstacle in his way, the golden hero Lancer. The silver knight can remember the hard-fought duel four nights ago. If Saber had been able to unseal all thirteen restraints of Excalibur, then he would be absolutely confident of his victory. However that's not an option for this war, so it's uncertain if his holy sword can overwhelm Lancer in battle.

''That's my duty as a Servant. It's why I was summoned. I have to fight against the other heroes to earn the Grail,'' Saber noted, thinking back to his wish.

''I see. So you're set then,'' Irisviel muttered. She could already sense it. Saber had set his resolve.

''That's correct,'' Saber nodded firmly.

''I understand. Even so, please be careful Saber, everyone here has placed high hopes for you,'' Irisviel told him. Suddenly the tea cup fell from her hands. Before the cup could hit the floor, a hand deftly caught it with inhuman dexterity.

Saber smiled as he handed it back to her.

''Don't worry Irisviel. As long as you're with me, I can't lose,'' he told her.

* * *

Maiya opened the door to the armory that Kiritsugu had set up in the Einzbern castle. She entered quietly and calmly waited before Kiritsugu.

''I've made the preparations as you've requested. The trip mines are all set,'' the mercenary woman reported.

Before her, Kiritsugu was cleaning the Calico. He didn't reply at first. Then he nodded and looked up at her.

''If I had to guess, the enemy Masters will be launching an attack on this place. Do you understand what you need to do?'' Kiritsugu asked his assistant. It was one of the contingencies that they had planned for in case the castle would come under attack.

''Yes I do,'' Maiya nodded.

One of the techniques of hunting is to lay out bait and let the prey move first. By letting the target take the initiative, the hunter can draw them into a trap. It's a tactic that his mentor Natalia commonly utilized and one that Kiritsugu himself had used in the past. If Irisviel and Saber were the bait, then the other Masters were the prey. Kiritsugu would only have to wait in the forest and take out the enemy Masters as they approached. Right now, with Caster dead, Kiritsugu was gambling that the other Masters would target them. As one of the Three Families of the Beginning, the location of the Einzbern castle was well known. So they would be a good target for any enemy Master.

Saber's only job in this would be to hold off the enemy Servants and to not die before the finals. Kiritsugu had little regard for the silver knight's chivalry, but with a Servant's power, he should be able to protect Irisviel well.

He paused at the thought of his wife's name.

He had spotted the stiff and weak movements of his wife after Caster had fallen. She had absorbed the first Heroic Spirit so far. Good, Kiritsugu needed only five more dead Servants to obtain his wish. He didn't care about receiving the Third Magic.

Only to bring peace.

Beneath the stoic mask of the Magus Killer, he despised himself more than anyone. What kind of husband betrayed his wife like that? Irisiviel was suffering and going to die because of his wish. It was something that Irisvie had accepted, but it didn't stop Kiritsugu from hating himself.

But even as he hated himself, even as he endured Saber's accusatory glares, he did not give up on his long-cherished dream for the Holy Grail.

* * *

Waver stared at the red markings on his hand. A fourth one had been added to it only a short while ago by the priest Risei. A fourth Command Spell to mark Rider's victory over Caster. It was supposed to be a triumph for Waver, but he didn't quite feel like it. After all hadn't it been Rider, who came and did all the work? He just hid in the Gordius Wheel in shock and terror. It was Rider's Noble Phantasm that trampled down Caster's demons and killed the mad Servant. Did he deserve this?

He had voiced as much to Rider on the rooftop where they now sat. The sun was setting.

''Nonsense boy!'' Rider had slapped his back in a good-natured fashion.

''I couldn't have found him without you! Don't be too uptight about the rewards of victory! The King rewards his loyal allies doesn't he?'' Rider grinned and looked at Waver.

Yes, hadn't Rider driven up to the church and guided Waver into the entranceway? Hadn't he placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, gently but firmly encouraging him forward to claim that prize from the mediator in the Church?

''It-it's not like that idiot,'' Waver mumbled, a faint flush covering his cheeks as he bowed his head.

Rider laughed at that.

''Boy, look out into the city before us!'' he proclaimed, pointing one thick finger out at the Fuyuki landscape. Looking out, Waver could see the vast sea of lights.

''You can't hesitate or feel sheepish about the fruits of victory! When I arrived at Persepolis or Babylon, I didn't hesitate or mope around. I accepted the rewards of battle!'' Rider told him.

''This isn't the same! It's the 20th century!'' Waver said hurriedly.

''Really? This is the Holy Grail War is it not? As my Master, aren't you like a general in my army?'' the red-haired King of Conquerors asked him.

Hah! General? What did Waver Velvet command? Waver thought.

''Maybe you should have made a contract with somebody else, like Kayneth or the Tohsaka Master. After all, I'm not a very powerful magus,'' Waver sighed.

He was interrupted by a finger flick from Rider.

''Don't be ridiculous! Where would I be without you? Where would be a King be without his trusted followers?'' Rider admonished him loudly.

Waver fell silent at that, chastised by Rider's words.

''Do you think that we can win against guys like Lancer or Saber?'' he questioned.

''They are formidable enemies, but I'm excited to face them! They both seem like powerful Heroic Spirits indeed!'' His Servant commented.

''Though-,'' Rider rubbed his beard with one hand and looked up the stars.

''-I do wish to fight Lancer more,'' he commented.

''Lancer?'' Waver blinked.

''Yeah, that guy is pretty different from me. I don't think I can reconcile with him….but at the same time facing him is to be a major challenge,'' Rider noted.

''He's got a powerful defensive Noble Phantasm with him. He's surely a great Heroic Spirit. My Gordius Wheel won't be enough to defeat him. I'll have to use Ionioi Hetairoi against him,'' Rider went on.

''Is-is that really necessary?'' Waver asked.

'Of course! He's a worthy opponent, and I can't fight against a great hero like that without giving my best! I have to show him my pride as a Heroic Spirit!'' the red-haired giant noted.

''But the Gordius Wheel could just trample all the other Servants right? We don't need to use that other Noble Phantasm against anyone else right?'' the young Master questioned.

''Maybe we won't. Though before we fight with Lancer, I would like to investigate Archer as well,'' the King of Conquerors noted.

''Archer?''

''Yeah, I have a suspicion about his true identity. If it's who I think it is, then I will be very excited and honored to face someone like that,'' Rider have a wide grin.

''Who's Archer then?'' Waver demanded, curious to know what Rider had been hiding from him.

''Someone who taught my boyhood hero. It's just a guess, but it would be an honor to fight him!" the red-haired giant said.

* * *

The alleyway was deserted and filthy. The sun painted shadows across the alleyways as Kariya Matou slumped behind a garbage dumpster and inspected his Command Spells. They were restored to their original three by the reward he had obtained from the supervisor Risei Kotomine. Now his command over Berserker was fully complete.

''It won't be long Sakura. Please hold on a little longer,'' Kariya said to himself.

He needed every bit of an advantage he could get, especially when his Servant was weaker than the others. It wasn't that his Berserker was that incapable, but he was facing the heroes from the Age of the Gods. That and the Servant's ''other half'' was uncontrollable and insane, so additional bindings were needed to restrain that personality. Caster had been defeated. Following that event, Kariya hoped that the other Servants would swiftly fall so that this accursed war would come to an end and he would be able to reunite Sakura and Rin. They would be able to be a family again.

With that he coughed again, sending bits of blood and worms flying on the ground. In his vomit he would see a pair of Crest Worms move about, teeth bloodied with filth and gore. Then a gloved hand swept them aside, and Berserker appeared.

''Master are you all right?'' the blonde youth asked.

''Aside from the usual, you mean?'' Kariya sighed.

''If you like, I can try and make something to ease your pain again,'' Berserker noted. He'd been raiding the local pharmacies and hospital for the things he needed to help his Master.

''That would be welcome Berserker,'' his Master nodded weakly, looking up at the form of his Servant. It was true that Berserker's drugs had eased the pain and given him more energy. However, both of the men knew it was nothing more than a temporary relief for Kariya, who would be lucky to live for another month or so in his current condition.

''Berserker,'' Kariya spoke up softly.

''Yes Master?'' his Servant looked up at him.

''Thank you for everything. You've been a great help to me. I-I couldn't have asked for a more reliable ally,'' Kariya forced out somewhat reluctantly.

''Your praise is welcome Master,'' Berserker gave a soft smile at that.

''I just need you to keep on fighting, for Sakura's sake. Then this can all be over,'' his Master continued, coughing a bit at the end.

Berserker looked him over again.

''Master, about your goal for fighting…'' Berserker started.

''Yes?''

''Make sure you don't lose sight of that,'' the blonde youth said calmly.

''Lose sight of it?'' Kariya questioned.

''I don't know either this Tokiomi fellow or Miss Aoi personally, so I can't speak to their opinions. But I think your first concern should be about Sakura rather than anything else,'' Berserker explained.

''It's Tokiomi's fault that Sakura is in this situation!'' Kariya's voice grew louder in response.

''That may be, but if he's dead and Sakura is still trapped under Zouken's control, then that won't help Sakura at all will it?'' Berserker noted.

Kariya fell silent before coughing a bit at the end. Berserker moved to steady him.

''Master, I've seen you over the past several days, and I fear for your mindset under these conditions. Hatred is a double-edged blade. Be careful you don't cut yourself with it,'' the blonde youth consoled him.

Silence for a few more seconds.

''Are you speaking from experience then?'' Kariya asked somewhat bitterly.

''You are correct,'' Berserker sighed.

''As long as Lancer lives, we have to fight anyway. The other Servants will have to be defeated to get the Grail,'' Kariya pointed out. Even now, Tokiomi's Servant was at the forefront of his mind.

''That's true, but if Lancer can be taken care of by another Servant, then we shouldn't get too worried about it,'' Berserker noted.

''Ah, that's true,'' Kariya sat back and closed his eyes as he prepared to rest once more.

* * *

Deep in the darkness, _something_ stirred.

One soul had already been claimed, and there was six more to go before its birth could happen. Like a dreamer in a deep sleep, it had already begun to stir, distantly aware that the awakening was eventually coming. The opening stages of the war were over, and it headed ever onwards to its bloody conclusion. Now the Masters and Servants would escalate the bloodshed until only one remained to claim the false cup that lay at the end.

The ''thing'' was only aware in the fashion of a fetus in the womb might be aware, but somewhere in that infinite darkness, it felt the anticipation.

This ''thing'' Angra Mainyu rested at the heart of the tainted Grail, waiting for its birth as ''All the World's Evils''. There would be only a few more souls to claim before it could manifest into that world as a terrifying force of destruction.

So it continued to dream a vision of devastation.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Next Chapter should be a big battle. Arthur and Karna can fully use their Noble Phantasms now. Kirei finally confronts Kiritsugu earlier than in canon. Saber, vs. Lancer vs. Archer happens.

As we are now heading into the second half of the story, the Servants now will start dropping.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note:** Here's the eleventh chapter. It's a two-part set. **  
**

* * *

 **Of Relics and Men-Chapter 11**

 _Kirei dreamed of a girl._

 _From the very start, she didn't know her real name or early memories. Those things had been stripped away from her by the training of the organization. She had lost her sense of self to become a nameless killer who adopted the identity of another._

 _This was the resolve of the order. To sacrifice their humanity for their beliefs._

 _Her earliest memories were that of training in the mountain fortress, of going through tests that would have killed an average human. All in the effort to shape a perfect assassination weapon. Watching the girl in his dream, Kirei could only compare the girl's training with his own. Daggers, physical and mental exercises, and other things too._

 _It was more than honing skills. The organization modified her body. They cut her open and injected her with strange drugs to make her into a lethal existence. It was an effort to reproduce the Visha Kanya of Indian Mythology. The plan succeeded. She became a lump of poison that took the form of a human being. Everything about her became a lethal poison capable of felling humans and beasts. Her hair, mucus, saliva, and nails were all highly toxic._

 _Indeed she became an existence of death._

 _When it came time to choose the next generation of Hassan-I-Sabbah, she was the best choice to lead the order. Unlike the previous holders of that title, she did not lose her face. Behind that skull mask, she could assume the appearance of a young girl once more. The western knights had entered the Holy Land from across the sea. In addition to that, other factions within her religion opposed her sect. Other men just posed a danger to the plans of the order. All of these humans were people that must be killed. That was her doctrine, to kill any that opposed her organization._

 _Kirei then saw her in other places, infiltrating fortresses and palaces to kill generals and kings. He saw her beckon to men and then embrace them, her lethal body killing them in seconds of contact. He saw her disguise herself as a mere girl, entering into people's lives as a fiancée or lover._

 _He saw this again and again._

 _While she was indeed an excellent assassin, she felt no happiness at doing this. Time and again she built up a false sense of joy for herself and then stole it away with her own hands. Her most significant strength was also her greatest weakness. Right, she could become a lethal existence, but she was also a human being. She was also a woman. She could not feel the touch of a friend or lover. She could not experience the embrace of other people like normal humans could._

 _It was unbearable loneliness._

 _It gnawed at her and drove her into despair._

 _Then, in the end, she finally died. While the records of the order officially recorded her as being discovered and killed in one of her missions, the truth was much different. In that sense, it could be said that she failed as a Hassan. She had been sent to kill a famous general in the Holy Land. After she had been brought to his tent, she revealed herself as an assassin. To his astonishment, she had begged him to kill her so she could end this miserable existence. He did not do so. Instead, he had his guards take her away instead of killing her._

 _But in the end, she still died by another's hand._

 _By the hand of that existence._

 _The first Hassan, the assassin who was the ultimate executioner, the one to finally come for a Hassan if they failed their duties. She could only remember his terrifying skull-masked features and his fearsome longsword. She could remember the look of judgment in his gaze as he beheaded her._

"So, it is Serenity. What hast thou protected with that body soaked with poison? A loneliness that could not even protect a flower blooming in the wilds? Such idiocy. -Hand over thy head."

 _Yes, she had died like that and become a Heroic Spirit Candidate that was part of the Hassan-i-Sabbah identity. That was why she answered the call of the Grail this time, to bring some of that happiness to herself and find someone who could touch her._

* * *

Kirei woke up in a cold sweat as he rolled over on his bed.

He was resting in the basement of an abandoned warehouse that was protected by a series of Bounded Fields. It wasn't like his father's property at the Church, but it would suffice for a field headquarters. The Executor checked the clock. It was almost dark, and Tokiomi's plan would soon proceed. The priest and Assassin would quickly move out and assist Tokiomi in Lancer's assault on the Einzbern castle. It was time for the Tohsaka camp to take the offensive.

Even then his mind wandered back to the dream he had experienced. It was Assassin's past. The priest had seen everything in her short life, from her training to her death. He had seen all her triumphs and failures. She was a lonely existence, searching for someone who could give her joy. Kirei was disturbed on just how much that was similar to him and yet was entirely different. He tried to love and had failed at it.

She was an existence cursed by her own body to find no happiness.

He was an existence cursed by his own nature to find not happiness.

Kirei almost wanted to laugh bitterly in irony at how it turned out.

He cleared of his mind to that and then opened his mind to Assassin.

''Assassin,'' he called to her.

''Yes Master?'' came the reply from Assassin.

''Go rendezvous with me at the location my teacher had given us. It's time for us to enact that plan,'' he told her.

''Understood.''

Kirei moved up and began to prepare himself.

* * *

Night fell over the Einzbern castle as Servant Lancer materialized out of spiritual form. Nearby stood Kirei and Assassin who had emerged out of the shadows. This place is located was thirty kilometers west of the Fuyuki city limits.

''Father Kotomine, do you understand your role?'' Lancer glanced at the priest.

''Of course. I will circle out in the back and shadow you with Assassin,'' Kirei nodded mechanically.

The plan was to have Lancer launch a frontal assault on the Einzbern defenses and smash his way through into the castle to challenge Saber. Assassin would maneuver from the rear and try to target any enemy Masters to make things easier for Lancer.

It was a straightforward and bold plan, but Tokiomi had felt he had collected enough information on Saber and Archer to attack. The wind Noble Phantasm that Saber had wasn't nearly enough to defeat Lancer and Tokiomi felt confident ofhis Servant's chances against Archer. Rider had already revealed his trump card and was commanded by an inferior Master.

Of course, there was also an ulterior motive. As far as Tokiomi knew, the Einzbern Grail vessel was also at the castle and acting as Saber's Master. Acquiring her would be a necessary step in materializing the Greater Grail and granting his wish. Before he could do that, Saber had to be defeated. Tokiomi had already issued the appropriate orders to his allies that she was to be taken alive if possible.

Tokiomi did not want to end up in a situation like the last war when the Grail Vessel had been destroyed, and the war had been inconclusive. No, he had planned far too much to fail here, and he would not give up.

''Very well. My Master is also ready. Let us begin,'' the golden-armored demigod told Kirei.

With a curt command from Tokiomi, Lancer set off into the Einzbern forest, triggering the Bounded Field surrounding the place, leaving both Kirei and Assassin alone in the outer clearing at the forest edge.

There was brief silence for a few moments as Assassin studied her Master and wondered what his next move would be.

''Assassin?'' Kirei spoke suddenly to his Servant.

''Master?'' Assassin replied somewhat cautiously.

''Adhere to that plan for now, but your primary task is to keep Servant Saber or the enemy Master from interfering in my progress,'' Kirei responded in a monotone, staring ahead as he did so.

''I understand,'' she said quietly.

''If you encounter the Einzbern homunculus, then simply cut her tendons with your daggers. Do not touch her. I will retrieve her by hand when you disable her,'' Kirei instructed her.

With that, he flexed his arms and watched Assassin disappear into the darkness of the forest. With her operating with her Independent Action skill, Kirei now had full access to his Magic Circuits.

Soon he would encounter Kiritsugu Emiya.

* * *

Irisviel doubled over briefly.

''Irisviel?'' Saber looked at her in concern.

Both she and Saber were seated in one of the dining rooms of the Einzbern castle. Kiritsugu and Maiya were also present, making preparations for another sally. Kiritsugu intended to go after Archer and his master, Kayneth, anticipating that they might make a move now that Caster had been defeated.

''I'm fine,'' Irisviel nodded.

It wasn't quite the whole truth. The homunculus woman had been feeling dizzy and weak ever since she had taken in the soul of Caster who had been defeated by Rider. That would be only the start of her gradual loss of humanity. The sharp feeling of sudden shock wasn't related to that. No, it was part of something else in the castle defenses.

''We have intruders. Kiritsugu, they're coming,'' Irisviel gasped out, looking over the crystal ball in the center of the room.

On the ball, it showed the golden form of Servant Lancer heading towards the Einzbern castle. His intentions were unmistakable. With Caster defeated it seemed the Tohsaka camp intended to take the fight to the Einzberns.

''He will not reach the castle,'' promised Saber as he equipped himself with his armor. Without even waiting for a word from Kiritsugu he moved out of the room like the wind, off to challenge Lancer once more.

Kiritsugu didn't respond to his Servant's rapid exit but instead turned to Maiya.

''If Lancer is here then that means that Tohsaka will soon be unguarded,'' Kiritsugu nodded.

''We can try to move quickly and take him out while his Servant is occupied,'' Maiya realized.

''That's correct,''

''What about Kotomine?'' Maiya put forth her opinion. She knew very what that Kiritsugu had his doubts over Kotomine's alleged fallout with his teacher Tokiomi. If he was present with Assassin at the Tohsaka house, then they had to be very careful.

The Magus Killer paused.

''We'll deal with that when it comes,'' Kiritsugu nodded.

He put on a mask of ice when he said that, but inside he was filled with trepidation. That man might be coming to the battlefield, the man who must not be allowed to meet with Kiritsugu. In other words, the only Master that Kiritsugu feared.

* * *

It was a coincidence that Berserker spotted the form of multiple Servants in the forest.

Initially, he had arrived at the Einzbern forest to spy on Saber and his Master. Then the Bounded Field surrounding the castle had been breached by the arrival of another Servant and Berserker had discreetly followed.

 _Master, I detect many other Servants here_. Berserker reported over his mental link to his Master. Kariya was somewhere in the city limits, hidden safely away.

 _Saber should be here. If Tokiomi's Servant here? Is Tokiomi here?_ Kariya asked him.

 _I don't know about the latter. I believe Saber and Lancer are here_ , Berserker admitted.

There was silence over the mental link.

 _Do you want me to remain silent and merely observe Master?_ Berserker asked again.

 _No. this situation looks to be chaotic, but we might be able to take down an enemy Servant or a Master if you attack after they've exhausted their magical energy from fighting the others._ Kariya noted.

As a member of the Matou clan, he was aware of the Einzbern family and their role as one of the Three Families of the Beginning. At the very least, they would be a formidable obstacle in his quest to gain the Holy Grail and to free Sakura.

 _Wait for a bit and then use your Noble Phantasm to go on a rampage. Hyde won't follow orders after you transform. I'll try and guide his rampage with my Command Spells._ Kariya ordered his Servant.

''Very well,'' Berserker nodded to himself.

The silver lining at least was that there would be a minimal chance of collateral damage in this deserted forest. So he could unleash Hyde without having to worry about any bystanders nearby. The situation up ahead was chaotic, but there was also a good chance of victory for Berserker, especially if Kariya could use his Command Spells to strengthen Berserker's abilities for a killing blow. If he attacked from behind, taking out Saber or Archer wasn't a fantasy.

Berserker paused as he glanced at the tall form of the Einzbern Castle that was illuminated by the moonlight. In the back of his mind, he could feel Hyde stirring with anticipation of the violence to come. The madman yearned to be let out.

''Not yet,'' he murmured as he withdrew his Noble Phantasm from his coat.

He thought back to that young girl Sakura who was being horrifically abused in the basement of the Matou house. Even if Berserker was torn apart by his insanity, also if his Master Kariya fell into hatred and jealousy, the blonde-haired youth felt at the very least he should fight for that girl Sakura. Secretly, Berserker wanted to ask his old friend Sherlock Holmes what to do. The great detective could always find a situation to any dilemma or problem no matter how arcane or complicated it was. The detective's wise words had comforted Berserker during his lifetime.

If he was here now, then Berserker felt confident everything could be resolved.

But he wasn't, and now Berserker had to proceed to the battlefield.

* * *

Lancer moved through the Einzbern forest quickly, running past the trees with swift and elegant movements. Up ahead he could see the tall form of the Einzbern castle rise above the forest. Its windows were dark, but that it didn't necessarily mean that nobody was at home. It was a towering stately construction that would have been more at home in the forests of Europe than in the woods of a backwater Japanese city. Even so, Lancer thought it had an imposing presence to it. He detected the presence of a Servant not far off.

From his Master's words, Lancer understood that he had already passed through the detection barrier that the Einzberns had put into place around the castle, so the Einzbern Master most likely knew that he was coming.

Up ahead he saw the gates of the majestic stone castle, and he promptly smashed them open with one mighty blow from his lance, splintering the entrance into fragments of wood. Moving into the main hall, he was abruptly blindsided by an explosion. Shrapnel and steel filled the air as a trap was triggered by Lancer's forceful entry. Of course, such measures were worthless against a Servant, let alone a first-rate Servant like Lancer. Instead, this was a measure intended against enemy Masters

What did that say about Saber's Master? Lancer wondered briefly before his thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of another Servant.

Saber descended from the upper balcony with one swift movement, already fully armored and ready to meet Lancer. The winds billowed around his invisible sword in a fierce gale, sending tables and ornaments flying over the place.

''Saber. I see you detected me,'' Lancer's gaze spotted the silver knight.

''Lancer! Your advance stops here!'' Saber told him with a resolute look on his face, bringing his invisible sword around for a strike.

An immense amount of mana filled the air, signaling Saber's intent to use his Noble Phantasm. Like a dragon's roar, the wind of Saber's blade filled the entrance way. Lancer moved forward, his divine spear at the ready.

''Strike Air!'' Saber roared, activating his Noble Phantasm. Invisible Air: _Hammer of the Wind King_.

Like a burning comet, Lancer met the blade of wind head-on. He activated his Prana Burst, shrouding himself in flames as he accelerated the speed of his charge to try and get a quick blow on Saber. The cyclone of air would be a useful attack against a regular Servant, but against Lancer it merely served to knock him to the side and into one of the walls without doing any real damage.

Lancer rebounded, spear in hand, when he moved to meet Saber, who was standing resolutely in the middle of the room with his sword glowing.

''Ah, I see who you are now,'' the golden spearmen commented, feasting his eyes on the glowing holy sword in front of him.

That particular sword was much too famous and no Heroic Spirit worth their legend could mistake its divine radiance for anything other than the blade that stood at the apex of holy swords. In other words, this was the Noble Phantasm, Excalibur, the symbol of King Arthur.

While they had lived in different lands and in different times, Lancer understood the story of King Arthur from the knowledge he had gained in the Throne of Heroes. Anecdotes of the dragon-bodied King of Knights who had fought in many great battles and met a tragic downfall. Very likely this was the most famous hero of England that was standing before him.

''That was reckless of you King Arthur, to expose your true Noble Phantasm so quickly,'' Lancer commented.

''Perhaps, but against an opponent like you, it's the only prudent option,'' Saber commented, bringing up his sword that was now glowing gold from a torrent of magical energy. With that Lancer could only nod in affirmation. That was the correct move to display the sword's true power against an opponent like Lancer. With that the solar demigod launched forward, his lance stabbing forward to match Saber's blade as the two engaged in their second duel of the war. Sword and spear intertwined as Lancer pressed forward his attack with the intent of killing the silver warrior before him.

Anyone seeing the sight would have been in awe at the mighty clash of the Heroic Spirits before him. Saber leaped back up the stairs as Lancer drove him back step by step and into the upper corridors of the Einzbern Castle. Debris and fragments of stone flew everywhere from the sheer aftermath of their strikes against one another.

* * *

Irisviel took another gasp of air, trying to push her body to move along.

True she had absorbed a Servant so far, but with Avalon's support, she was able to keep on moving despite having Caster within her. Though if things kept up for this long, she might experience additional strain on her body's physiology.

Irisviel and Maiya were moving up north from the Einzbern castle, away from the direction where Lancer had arrived. Kiritsugu had already issued orders for them to get away from the castle while Kiritsugu deployed on the battlefield. Once Maiya was able to ensure Irisviel's safety, she would loop back and rejoin Kiritsugu on the battlefield. Just the thought of her husband entering the battlefield filled Irisviel's heart with worry. Undoubtedly there would be enemy Masters nearby. She had barely time to witness Saber leave to fight Lancer before she had to go. It had her wondering what other foes were out there.

As if to answer her question, someone else appeared.

''Saber's Master I presume?'' a young girl's voice filled the forest.

Irisviel and Maiya stopped to see a white skull seemingly floating in the trees ahead of him. Though she had not seen the Servant in person before, Irisviel could readily identify that this was Servant Assassin. The white skull mask made it obvious. The form of a slender young girl emerged from the darkness, a pair of daggers held in each of her hands. She tilted her head quizzically as she regarded Irisviel and her bodyguard. Maiya stood between them, her assault rifle raised in defiance.

''Aren't you going to call for Saber with a Command Spell?'' Assassin interjected.

She had deliberately revealed herself and confronted them. Otherwise, neither Irisviel or Maiya would have been able to locate Assassin who possessed the Presence Concealment ability. If she had wanted to kill Irisviel, she could have done so.

Irisviel didn't reply to Assassin's question. Instead, the only reply was from Maiya's gun.

Maiya understood that this was a hopeless battle for her. Her weapons couldn't hurt a Servant, and even she or Kiritsugu couldn't handle a Servant in combat. To attack Assassin was therefore much the same as committing suicide. However Kiritsugu had charged her with Irisviel's protection, and she would not betray his trust like that.

The muzzle flash of the Calico M950 lit up the night as the bullets sped towards Assassin.

A second later and Maiya's severed hand dropped to the ground, the finger still squeezing the trigger of her assault rifle, sending bullets out to impact the undergrowth. Neither Maiya or Irisviel could comprehend the speed of Assassin's attack as she moved forward across the clearing at an extreme dash and promptly severed Maiya's hand with one swift movement from the white dagger in her hand.

Maiya's scream of pain filled the air as she dropped to her knees, the agony of her injury overriding any other feeling. Assassin paused to look at her for a moment, regarding her with that skull white mask as she registered Maiya's injury. Most likely Assassin could have easily killed Maiya with her dagger, just by going for the throat or heart instead of her hand. For some reason, Assassin held off on shooting Maiya she did not regard Maiya as a threat?

''I would like to restrict collateral damage for now. The next time I will kill you. If you hurry you might be able to survive with that wound,'' Assassin commented in a dispassionate tone as she turned her attention to Irisviel.

Then Assassin felt a dull impact on her back. She glanced behind her to see that Maiya had stabbed a combat knife into her back, trying to take her out. It was a futile gesture against a Servant. Conversely, it had instead spelled Maiya's death.

''That was foolish. You should have run away,'' Assassin said softly to her assailant.

''Ahh...'' a gasp of pain escaped from the mercenary woman's mouth as she stumbled.

Not only was she bleeding out from her wound, but she had also been exposed to the virulent toxins of Assassin's body. Maiya's corpse crumpled to the ground. A mask of concern and fear had plastered itself over Irisviel's face as she took a step back, watching Assassin warily. On the other end of the exchange, Assassin moved silently, but slowly, regarding Irisviel with interest.

''I'll ask you again, where's Saber? Shouldn't you as his Master…'' Assassin wondered.

The white skull mask paused and looked her over.

''You aren't Saber's Master,'' Assassin noted after a moment. If Irisviel was Saber's Master than Saber would already be here, called forth by the thaumaturgical miracle of the Command Spells. Surely that would be the rational course of action to take for a Master. That had not occurred.

The homunculus did not respond to that. Instead, she drew forth her alchemic wires and brought forth an instant construct of wires.

''I might not be skilled in battle, but I know a few tricks!'' Irisviel responded with a false smile of confidence on her face. A fake smile to mask her inner terror. Around her, she shaped the birds of prey with artificial beaks and talons. This was the magecraft foundation that she had inherited from Justeaze, the ability to create and manipulate matter.

'' _Shape ist Lieben_!'' she chanted.

Of course, even this too was a farce. The Einzberns were not skilled in combat and Irisviel would be unlikely to beat an experienced mage at a fight, let alone a Servant like Assassin. So it was that when the birds dove in, Assassin hardly bothered to react. With slight movements, Assassin quickly dodged the first two birds with utter ease. Swaying in the night, she avoided another strike, and then another when Irisviel reconfigured the birds into swords and tried to attack her again.

Then, when Assassin had become sufficiently bored with the fight, she tossed a pair of dirks at the homunculus, cutting the tendons on her hands with one practiced movement. With a cry of pain, Irisviel disengaged her magecraft. Then another pair of dirks followed, and Irisviel fell to the ground, the tendons on her legs cut. With all of her limbs disabled, she was easy prey for Assassin.

The skull mask loomed over her.

''Do not worry homunculus. You are the Grail Vessel, and I would prefer to take you alive until I need to manifest the Grail,'' Assassin told Irisviel, recalling her orders.

She stood over Irisviel, a dagger raised in her hands. She could not touch Irisviel, but she would immobilize her for Kirei to capture later.

''Of course, if you don't have limbs anymore, that's also fine by me,''

Before Assassin could do anything else, a silver streak darted through the night. Twisting around, Assassin barely avoided the arrow that would have struck her spiritual core. Instead, it tore through her side. Poisonous blood spilled to the earth below.

In a purple flash, Assassin landed several feet away as she and Irisviel stared at the figure who had entered the battlefield.

''Servant Assassin I see. I'm glad I found you,'' Archer gave a smile as he prepared to nock another arrow in his bow.

* * *

Kirei proceeded on foot outside the Einzbern castle. In the distance, he could detect the sounds of battle, the faint rumbling as if from some explosion that had been set off from inside the castle. Doubtlessly anyone outside of the Einzbern's Bounded Fields wouldn't have noticed it. If his guess was accurate, then Kiritusgu Emiya would be escorting the Einzbern Master. Doubtlessly the Einzbern Master recognized the danger that Lancer presented. Here Kirei hoped to catch Kiritsugu and submit to him the questions he needed to be answered.

Of course, Kirei's thoughts were interrupted by a blade of wind.

'' _Ariel_!'' a voice cried out in the nice.

Only Kirei Kotomine well-honed battle instincts that saved him from being sliced in half. The wind-spell, a one-line aria, sliced through the tree trunk behind him in a single gust. As Kirei felt the backdraft, he pulled out his Black Keys, three in each hand, and got ready.

''I see, it's the dog of the Church. I was hoping for the Einzbern woman, or Tokiomi Tohsaka,'' the voice continued as a figure stepped forward. Kirei recognized the pale, pointed features of Kayneth Archibald as he stepped into the moonlight. Of course, Kayneth had cast the wind spell. Lord Archibald specialized in wind and water magecraft.

Kirei had never actually met Kayneth before, but Tokiomi's overseas spies and Assassin's observations had yielded a wealth of information on the blue-suited magus. He was probably the most powerful magus in this contest. His teacher Tokiomi considered him a threat in a duel of magecraft, but that was the only natural considered how well El-Melloi's water magecraft countered Tokiomi's fire element.

The Lord El-Melloi had chosen this night to attack the Einzbern castle, and in doing so, he had inevitably crossed paths with the priest who was also on the prowl outside the Castle. Kayneth had also dispatched Archer to run interference against enemy Servants while he engaged the Masters in duels of magecraft. Of course, Kirei had no interest in Kayneth nor did he especially desire to fight him but to reach Kiritsugu Emiya he had to go through Archibald first.

''Still, I suppose you're better than no prey at all,'' the blue-suited magus noted, pouring down a vial of liquid from his hand.

'' _Fervor, mei sanguis_ ,'' he smirked, casting another aria.

Kirei saw the liquid mercury flow and reform into a new shape around Kayneth. In a moment Kirei realized that this was Kayneth's Mystic Code, some liquid mercury weapon that he was controlling via magecraft.

''Now s _calp_!'' Kayneth smirked as he commanded his Mystic Code to launch forward.

A silver blade moved in the moonlight to slice Kirei in half, but he avoided it and then launched a pair of Black Keys at Kayneth. Like two bullets, the sacraments reached Kayneth only to be halted against a solid silver wall as Kayneth's Mystic Code reformed to protect against those blades. Volumen Hydrargyrum: _Marrow of the Moon Spirit_ , a fantastic weapon capable of both excellent offense and defense. If Kirei was guessing right, this was the pinnacle of El-Melloi's magecraft.

To be perfectly frank, Kirei had never faced anything like it before.

True, regarding pure magecraft, Kayneth as far superior as a mage. Conversely, Kirei was an Executor, an assassin trained to fight and kill mages. Even with such a fantastic weapon at his command, this was still within the parameters of Kirei's expectations. He would be running into Lord El-Melloi's battle array of magecraft, but that was something he could anticipate.

''Impudent fool!'' the mage before him snarled as another silver whip sliced through the forest at Kirei, who dodged again, the tree trunk beside him separating into two pieces. With inhuman speed, he charged forward, Black Keys held at a ready.

A trio of Black Keys tore through the air as the mercury blob around Kayneth reformed in response. A shell of silver metal now protected the noble from Kirei's attack. That was what the priest expected as he closed within striking distance of El-Melloi. Inches before his fist would have hit the mercury shell around the magus; blades pushed out from the metal shell, the blonde man beneath the armored barrier shaping the mercury blob into a spiked shell to repel his attacker. Spikes pierced Kirei's knuckles as he hastily retreated.

'' _Scalp_!'' Kayneth commanded once more as the blob reconfigured into a horizontal buzzsaw and whipped out, something that Kirei avoided by leaping into the air, the silver blades shaving a few hairs from his head.

He landed five meters away from El-Melloi, his Executor training keeping the pain of his mutilated fist at bay. Without changing his expression, he threw another pair of Black Keys at Kayneth, forcing him to shift his attention to his defense. Then Kirei turned his attention to his wounded and bleeding arm, casting healing magecraft on it to reknit the broken bones and close the wounded flesh before him. It would take a bit before he could use that arm to its full functionality.

His attack had been foiled, but that too was fine, all he had to do was adjust his speed. The priest pushed his perfectly trained body to the limit. What he merely needed to do is adapt his next attack to try to surpass Volumen Hydrargyrum and open up a single opening to strike at Kayneth.

His next series of attacks should prove to be the final ones on the blue-suited Master.

Another pair of silver blades whipped through the air, tearing up the ground as Kayneth tried to kill Kirei once more. Without missing a beat, the priest dodged one and then roundhouse kicked the other silver tentacle away with a Bajiquan technique. Kayneth stood dumbfounded at the absurd physical prowess of the priest before him. It was true that he had never fought Executors before, but even still he was confident in his ability to quickly end this. Matching wits against a dog of the Church had been one of his hopes in life, as another dash of battlefield glory to add to his prestige.

It seemed the Church's killers lived up to their fearsome reputation, he mused.

For a moment he considered using a Command Spell to call Archer to his side and kill the priest before him. Even an Executor couldn't survive against a powerful Servant like Archer in combat. He quickly dismissed the idea. That would defeat the entire point of why he entered the Holy Grail War in the first place, to prove his superior magecraft abilities on the battlefield.

Kayneth's Magic Circuits burned at maximum in his body as he shifted all his magical energy to maximize Volumen Hydrargyrum's next attack to kill the insolent priest in front of him. Right now for him, everything was being pushed to their maximum.

That was what ended him.

The noble lord didn't even feel the bullet enter his skull and exit from his temple, spraying his brain matter all over the ground. After a moment the Mercury blob fell apart and splashed the ground as Kayneth's swaying corpse soon followed. The liquid mercury of Volumen Hydrargyrum did try to block the shot, but the bullet that had been fired was no ordinary bullet. Instead, it was a Conceptual Weapon, a weapon crafted from one's Origin and fired against a magecraft defense. It went through a weak point as Kayneth focused everything on the priest in front of him.

With a mixture of astonishment and hope, Kirei beheld the figure of Kiritsugu Emiya standing before Kayneth's corpse, a smoking Thompson Contender held in one hand and a grim look on his face.

Kirei had finally achieved his true objective here.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** So Kayneth and Maiya are dead, and Kiritsugu and Kirei confront each other. **  
**

I took a bit of liberty in Serenity's past, as we don't know much about how she became what she was, so I tried to make it as vague as possible. The line in her flashback is King Hassan's line to her in Grand Order if you have them both. It's heavily implied that King Hassan was the one to execute her in life.


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note:** It's been a while, but here's Chapter Twelve.

* * *

 **Of Relics and Men-Chapter Twelve**

So far things were going well, Tokiomi decided.

The red-suited magus was sitting in his workshop, protected by reinforced layers of Bounded Fields, repaired in the wake of the recent attacks. He sat surrounded by a pile of jewels that contained years of accumulated magical energy.

He grimaced as another bolt of fire raced through his burning Magic Circuits. Maintaining Lancer's fighting performance was indeed taking it's toll on him, preventing him from making any movements beyond resting in a chair. This was necessary for Lancer's combat performance. Still, he could use enough magical energy to use the shared perception magecraft and see the battle through Lancer' eyes. So far he was making good progress against Saber. The demigod even forced Saber to reveal his Noble Phantasm.

Saber was none other than King Arthur, the most famous Heroic Spirit of Britain and the wielder of the holy sword Excalibur. He was definitely a first-rate hero. For sure, Heroic Spirits like Arthur and Alexander were formidable and great opponents, but even then Tokiomi was confident that Lancer still held some advantage over them. Karna was in a league of his own.

The only concern was that Saber had not yet activated his Noble Phantasm. Even after the wind sheath had been removed, Tokiomi understood that the sword was not yet fully activated. There was no telling what he would do in the face of Lancer's onslaught. Still, if Saber did utilize Excalibur, then Lancer should only respond in kind.

 _Lancer._ Tokiomi opened up a mental link to his Servant.

 _Yes, Master?_ The reply came.

 _I permit you to utilize your Noble Phantasms if you should deem it prudent._ Tokiomi told Lancer.

 _Understood._ His Servant curtly replied.

With that taken care of, Tokiomi leaned back satisfied. Still, something pulled at him.

Right now Kirei and Assassin should be circling the castle and confronting Saber's Master. So, in other words, Saber should be struggling to maintain his current form in this world without a magical energy supply or surrendering due to his Master being taken hostage. Kirei still had Assassin with him, so either of those options should be a possibility, so what was the problem?

The only answer that Tokiomi could think of that some other Servant or Master had found their way into the chaotic battlefield.

* * *

-One-sided was the way to describe it.

The duel between Archer and Assassin was unbalanced from the very start of the battle. Assassin, who was unsuited for direct combat, was matched up against one of the three Knight Classes. No matter what she did, she couldn't achieve the upper hand. She tore through the forest undergrowth at incredible speed, throwing many daggers from all directions at her opponent. Yet it wasn't enough.

''Kuh,'' she panted in pain from a fresh wound.

Archer watched her bleed into the ground below as she clutched at her wounds. She had avoided piercing of her spiritual core by way of her incredible dexterity, but Archer's shots would eventually corner her. For the masked girl, she was in a bad situation. Her opponent demonstrated some form of precognition when fighting her. He seemed to be able to anticipate all of her attacks no matter what she tried. Every one of her thrown daggers had been shot down by the centaur's arrows.

However, even in this unfavorable situation, it's not entirely impossible for Assassin to win.

The sage understood that as he landed on another tree branch. He nocked another arrow into his bow before he studied his opponent and fired another shot, sending a streak of starlight into the darkness to chase after the masked killer. Using his divine insight and superhuman vision, Chiron was quickly able to analyze Assassin's body earlier in the fight. He saw through her physical structure to understand that she was a walking mass of highly lethal poisons. She was a venomous creature potent enough to kill Phantasmal Beasts.

That, of course, gave her a particular advantage against Archer. In life, Heroic Spirit Chiron was famously wounded by hydra-blooded arrows that had been mistakenly fired by his student Heracles. In agony from that poison, he had given up his immortality and died. Due to that anecdote in his legends, Archer was weak against toxins.

So if Assassin were able to touch him, then things would be bad for Archer. So, in other words, he strove to prevent her from closing with him. Assassin has already tried to spread her poison clouds through the wind, but Chiron had anticipated that and remained out of range of her venom. Now it was a match between projectiles.

Across the thicket of trees, the girl flung forth five white-bladed daggers.

Instantly Archer's bow responded and shot all of them down. However, Assassin used the attack as a distraction to charge forward, her hand outstretched like a claw. Instantly, Archer dodged it by a hairsbreadth and leaped into the air before rebounding off a tree. In midair, he fired off another arrow at the dark-skinned girl, who barely dodged it with her own incredible reflexes. However, she did not escape entirely unscathed, with the shaft knocking off her white skull mask, exposing her beautiful young features.

''So you do have a face,'' Archer mused in response.

He prepared another set of arrows and fired them into the darkness at Assassin's running form. As he predicted, she dodged all but one of the arrows. According to his predictions, the shaft struck her in the thigh. He tracked Assassin's slowed movements through the forest; his superhuman vision easily followed her form despite her high speed. The sage prepared another arrow for his bow, confident that this shot would be the _coup de grace_ for her.

Even as she moved, perhaps even Assassin understood what was about to happen to her. She could only resign herself to her fate and bow her head to the inevitable shot that would penetrate her heart and remove her from the Holy Grail War.

Then he paused, standing frozen on the tree branch.

Everything seemed to slow down to a crawl. Even Assassin looked up in surprise, not quite understand why he had not killed her yet.

At that moment, Archer felt his Master die.

Certainly, Servants have their connections to their Master. That's why Archer froze when he felt his mental link with Kayneth was severed. That could only mean that his Master had been slain.

Turning his attention away from Assassin, his superhuman vision pierced through the trees and darkness to witness the bloodied corpse of Lord Archibald lying on the ground as two other Masters faced off with one another. With that Archer understood what had happened. His Master was killed from behind. The enemy had somehow subverted the Volumen Hydrargyrum defense.

''I see,'' he muttered quietly.

Archer paused. He had not liked Kayneth. His Master had been too arrogant and too cruel for him to truly respect him. However on the other side of that, he had not hated him, and he needed his Master to work towards getting the Grail. He felt a flicker of sadness at his death all the same.

Turning his mind to the tactical situation, he processed through it calmly and logically. With his Master dead, he was now acting on his ability of Independent Action to exist. Despite Kayneth's death, there was still a steady stream of prana from Sola-ui. There was no telling how long that would last in these present circumstances.

Assassin materialized another dagger. This moment was it, Archer had frozen up and dropped his guard. This opening might be her only chance to end this. This next attack had to defeat her enemy.

Her next charge would be delivered at her fastest speed and with all her magical energy. Even Archer's excellent vision would have difficulty tracking her acceleration. If Archer failed to stop her, then she would kill him with her Noble Phantasm. If he pierced her with his arrows, then the poisonous blood from her body would drench him. Either way, she achieved a victory.

Silently, she moved in, like a hunting hawk swooping through the night.

Archer lowered his bow and then-

A shaft of light fell from the heavens and pierced her heart in one swift movement, instantly destroying her spiritual core in a single blow. Her charge halted as she fell to the ground, spilling venomous blood on the dirt below.

Archer's Antares Snipe had delivered the attack. The centaur had only needed to move a single figure to counter her assault. Several feet away, Archer landed on another branch. Coolly, he watched the opposing Servant's final moments. That was a mortal wound for any Servant, to lose their spiritual core.

''Ah. This is-'' Assassin coughed and spat more blood to the ground. She tried to get up but stumbled and fell to the ground.

''It is. You've been defeated,'' Archer replied to her. There was kindness in his voice, even to a defeated enemy.

''Apologies, Master Kirei,'' she whispered into the night.

Golden particles of light began to fill the air as Assassin's spiritual body began to fade away after losing its integrity. Her Master was too busy to hear her at the moment, but she felt like presenting her apologies anyway. As a Hassan, it was the least she could do.

''So that's how it is,'' she spoke softly, mostly to herself.

From her legs, she started to fade away until there was nothing left of her ether-composed body.

Servant Assassin, the Hassan of Serenity, was dead.

The centaur didn't know what her wish was, or what her past was like. Even so, he felt a sense of pity for her. Also if she was just a wraith, she had staked everything on trying to gain the Holy Grail. Now she experienced the bitter taste of defeat.

Archer paused and glanced over the forest. Somehow the Einzbern homunculus had fled from the clearing. He had thought that her body's tendons had been cut. Had she managed to heal quickly? He thought about pursuing her, but he should report to Sola-ui. With Kayneth's death, she was now his Master.

Sighing, Archer turned into spirit form and fled through the forest back to Fuyuki City.

* * *

The duel between Saber and Lancer reached its zenith.

One was like a fierce storm gale. The other was like a blazing inferno.

The duel between the two knights is something where any mistake would mean certain death. Every attack from Lancer is a sure-kill attack intended to slay Saber, a fierce torrent of spear points. The Einzbern castle interior currently looked like someone set off a series of bombs inside it. Saber and Lancer have fought through several rooms and floors, smashing them all.

Magical energy radiated around Saber as he pushed his prana burst to its maximum limit to match Lancer blow by blow. So far all of his strikes have been reduced to minor injuries on Lancer, offset by that golden armor. In these close quarters, a swordsman should have an advantage over the spearman. However, Lancer's sheer skill makes that irrelevant. It's all that Saber can do to survive his opponent's fierce attacks.

The holy sword screamed through the air.

The divine lance darted forward in response.

The two warriors leaped back, eying each other warily.

''You are a magnificent warrior. Truly you must be some great hero from a foreign land. That armor must be one of your Noble Phantasms,'' Saber nodded in respect.

''Likewise, King Arthur is truly a great hero as well,'' Lancer replied.

They were enemies, but they also regarded each other with respect as a Heroic Spirit. After all, both of these men were warriors who traversed many battlefields and accomplished many great deeds.

''If only I had such a warrior like yourself at my side. Doubtlessly Camelot would have never have fallen,'' Saber mused.

''Oh? Is that the sort of person you are Holy Blade Wielder?'' the golden knight questioned.

''What?'' the blonde knight blinked.

''You are someone who looks towards the past and not the future. But the past is the past, and the humans of this world have left that behind. Do you cling to old regrets so much Saber?'' the golden spearman spoke, his cold words cutting into Saber. His sharp gaze saw into Saber's very soul.

The silver knight's eyes narrowed in annoyance at Lancer's words that cut right into his heart.

''Well, what would you know about that?'' Saber's grim gaze settled on Lancer as he raised his sword again, this time glowing with prana.

'Indeed-'' the golden knight stepped forward, his gauntlet brushing back the hair falling over his eye. An immense amount of magical energy filled the air. His right eye flashed with a considerable amount of magical energy.

''Brahmastra!'' Lancer invoked the name of his attack as his eye flashed.

Brahmastra, the technique that had been handed down to him by Lord Parashurama. It would always seek out the enemy and eradicate him. Like this, a blazing projective was launched in a wide beam from Lancer's right eye. The golden comet closed in on Saber's position. Light roared, and flames spread out like a dragon's breath. The entire top half of the Einzbern castle was incinerated, to say nothing less of the surrounding forest. A vast wave of fire and light billowed out.

Yet-

''That won't be enough!'' the silver knight's determined voice came from within the inferno.

Like Moses parting the Red Sea, a blade of light divided the firestorm into two as Saber's form stood determined in the middle of the blackened ruin of the castle. The surrounding area was demolished, but the silver knight was still alive. Lancer's sure-kill attack as a hero has been countered, yet the white-haired demigod could only express admiration for his opponent.

''Remarkable,'' Lancer said to himself. ''That must have been a defensive action brought about by the holy sword.''

The holy sword Excalibur, it's power was truly immense. Brahmastra would not be able to defeat it in a contest of strength. All Lancer's attack had accomplished was to devastate the surrounding areas into a burning wasteland.

''That technique, you must be a hero of India then,'' Saber noted.

He wasn't a typical Heroic Spirit; thus he lacked the information one could gain by being on the Throne of Heroes. Even so, during his lifetime he had heard tales of the great heroes of the distant east. Indeed, one such knight, Sir Palamedes, had brought such stories to him.

''That's a technique used by the heroes of India. Yet only a few among them possess armor like yours. Further few display the radiance of the sun. If I had to guess you must be the Hero of Charity, Karna!''

Silence passed by as Lancer seemed to be communicating with his Master.

''…I suppose there is no point in hiding it now,'' Lancer sighed.

Now they both knew their true names. In a sense, this was now a battle that satisfied Saber's sense of chivalry. Now Arthur understood the magnitude of the opponent before him. This spearman was a warrior from the Age of the Gods who possessed immense skill and power. No wonder that Arthur and Berserker couldn't overwhelm him before. No wonder he seemed to be so much like Gawain.

''Very well then, Karna. Let's-'' Saber's line was cut off as he disappeared. The distortion of space around him suggested a Command Spell. Saber's Master must have called him back.

At that moment, only Lancer stood in the burning ruin of the castle.

 _Lancer. Return to my side at once_. Tokiomi's voice came over their connection.

'As you wish Master,'' Lander responded.

He had expended a great deal of magical energy in his last attack, for little gain in return. Most likely his Master wanted him to withdraw so that Tokiomi could rest.

With that, he turned to astral form and left.

* * *

From the very start, Kiritsugu had been determined not to confront Kirei. The man was too dangerous and too incomprehensible to face head-on. It was a danger that Kiritsugu would have preferred to avoid. At the same time when he had spied the battle between Kirei and the blue-suited magus, he could not resist the opportunity that presented itself to him. The chance to ambush and kill a Master was too much for him.

He had hidden and observed Kirei's superhuman prowess and Kayneth's magecraft Mystic Code as they fought in the forest clearing. He then waited for the most opportune moment with the Thompson Contender to kill Archibald. While Kirei was the greater of the two threats, Kiritsugu sensed that a surprise attack would work better on Kayneth. Kirei was a trained Executor with battle-honed instincts. Kayneth's mercury defense, while able to defend on its own, would be powerless before an Origin bullet.

So it was that he fired a single shot to Kayneth's skull from behind. The silver liquid wall of mercury had, of course, moved to defend its creator, but against an that special bullet, it was a futile gesture. The bullet penetrated Kayneth's skull and instantly killed the blue-suited magus.

But there was another problem. That of Kirei.

The priest before him began to open his mouth-

Kiritusgu cut him off with a burst of gunfire with the Calico while he popped open the Contender with his other hand. It was a desperate situation, but right now for Kiritsugu, he had to act rather than think. For the young priest, this is a meeting he had long awaited. The answer that he has been seeking for so long is right in front of him. At the same time, he also understood that Emiya is also an enemy at this moment. An enemy that he must disarm.

On one end of the clearing was the Magus Killer. He had an empty Thompson Contender, a Calico, two grenades and a combat knife. His three Command Spells for Saber are still present.

At the other end of the battlefield was Kirei. He only had nine Black Keys, and two Command Spells left. His arm was still healing from Archibald's attack.

The mercenary raised his submachine gun and sent a hail of bullets roaring through the air.

Kirei tore through the forest, using the trees as cover. His advance was nothing short of inhuman regarding speed.

''What?'' Kiritsugu gritted his teeth.

The priest's attack came tearing through the air. Like this, his fist would collide with Kiritsugu's gut and shatter his ribs-

 _Time Alter: Accel._

-The fist soared past Kiritsugu's body as he dodged the attack. Like that, he sped up his time enough to evade. With his other hand, he frantically tried to reload the Contender. If his opponent was using his Magic Circuits to their fullest, then there might be a chance to score another kill.

Kirei looked surprised for a moment at Kiritsugu's evasion. Then he merely increased his speed. To the Magus Killer, his opponent's strength and speed must be utterly absurd. Even if the mercenary sped up his own internal time, it would not be enough to surpass Kirei's martial arts. Indeed the priest was a human Shura, a monster of the Church.

A Black Key hurled through the air like a bullet. In response, the Calico roared and deflected it. A moment later and Kiritsugu's gun ran empty. The priest must be trying to exhaust the assassin's ammunition. If he could do that, then the battle would swing in the Executor's favor. Kiritsugu frowned in response and pulled out a grenade.

The explosive landed in the middle of the clearing. Fire and shrapnel filled the forest clearing. Out of the smoke emerged the form of the priest as he closed in with his nemesis.

 _Time Alter Double Accel_. Kiritsugu invoked.

He spat blood as his organs started to seize up. In one hand he finished reloading the Contender and pulled it up-

-Only to have it torn from his grasp by an iron-like fist.

It was a difference of a single second. Had Kiritusgu had just one more second to pull the trigger, then he would have killed Kirei.

In a flash, Kiritsugu had lost his gun, and Kirei had closed in. At this moment, the mercenary understood it was a foregone conclusion. The Executor's martial arts were on another level entirely, the product of hellish training. Still, Kiritsugu did not give up at this moment. Instead, he reached for a grenade, desperately trying to get to the weapon. It was useless.

Quickly, Kiritsugu had the wind knocked out of him by Kirei's elbow, and then he was kicked to the ground in a lightning-fast movement. Then a boot came crashing down on his hand, and Saber's Master felt the cold metal of three Black Keys on his throat.

''Emiya. Do not do anything foolhardy. Do not even attempt to call for Saber. I will kill you,'' the black-clad Executor promised the Magus Killer on the ground.

With that, Kirei's answer would now arrive.

When he saw Kiritsugu, he saw the red Command Spells on his hand. At that moment Kirei understood the deception that the Einzberns had perpetrated. He realized that Emiya was the real Master of Saber.

It would be the prudent thing to remove Kiritsugu's hand that contained the Command Spells. However, such an action might cause Kiritsugu to pass out from blood loss or bleed to death before Kirei could use his healing magecraft on him. Right now, the priest was almost wholly exhausted from two consecutive fights. So Kirei had to resort to threatening the mercenary with blades at his throat.

Indeed this very action was a betrayal of Tokiomi. As Master of Saber, Kiritsugu was probably the most significant threat to the Tohsaka head in the Holy Grail War. Right now Kirei should be killing Kiritsugu and thus causing Saber to disappear without an anchor to this world. That would be the duty of Tokiomi's student and ally.

But right now, Kirei doesn't care about Tokiomi.

Of course, different thoughts were running through Kiritsugu's head. In this position, he would be the one to kill the enemy Master of a dangerous Servant. The only other explanation is that this priest needs information from him.

''You will answer my questions Emiya. Or I will be forced to kill you,'' Kirei said firmly, trying to conceal the anticipation he felt inside.

Questions? Kiritsugu wondered.

''Why are you fighting in the Holy Grail War? What is your wish?'' Kirei interrogated Kiritsugu in a deceptively calm tone.

Reason? The Magus Killer could only wonder.

Then comprehension dawned. The way Kirei Kotomine so frantically entered into many new interests and then abandoned them without care. The way he led his life in a strange and aimless sort of way. Kiritsugu began to understand what sort of man Kirei Kotomine was.

''My reason?'' Kiritsugu muttered as he thought it over.

Kirei pressed the blades closer.

''Why are you fighting? Why do you wander around in the violent life of an assassin? It can't be the money. It can't be the joy of killing; you don't seem to care about either of things. So what?'' Kirei asked him once more.

''Is that what you want to know?'' the assassin on the ground looked up at the wearied face of Kirei Kotomine.

''More than anything,'' the priest responded.

''Why are you so interested? Unless of course…'' Kiritsugu trailed off.

He seemed to pause.

''Answer me why are you fighting for the Grail?'' Kirei continued.

Silence filled the darkness.

''You will get nothing from me,'' the mercenary said quietly.

Kiritsugu stared up at the cold eyes of the enemy Master, not trying to show the turmoil in his heart.

''I'll be more forceful then-'' the priest began.

Then, like an erupting volcano, a vast torrent of fire seemed to fill the night. For a moment, the two men were utterly distracted. It was in this moment another person entered the fray.

''Shape est Lieben!'' a female voice came from nearby.

Kirei turned around to block an artificial bird made out of wires hastily. Standing at the other end of the clearing was Irisviel who was manipulating a wire bird with her hands. She had a determined look on her face. Indeed, Kirei couldn't have known she had just come here after Avalon healed her wounds. Nor he couldn't have known she had stumbled upon them by chance after fleeing Assassin.

Indeed, in normal circumstances, Kirei would have never been caught off guard by such a sneak attack. Such was his accumulated battle experience and training. However, he was still preoccupied with his obsession right in front of him. So he could not respond in time to prevent Kiritsugu's next move. With only seconds left, Kiritsugu grasped the handle of the Contender and raised it. With the brief opening that this wife provided, he aimed the gun at Kirei and fired.

The Executor spun around, flinging a Black Key at Kiritsugu.

The sacrament missed the Magus Killer by an inch before embedding itself in a nearby tree.

The Origin round left the chamber of the Thompson Contender and missed Kirei by mere inches.

However, the combat between the two was interrupted by a bestial roar.

Both of the combatants whirled around to see the pitch-dark body of Berserker move through the forest undergrowth, claws and fangs extended.

''RAAAAAAAARGH!'' the beast-like Servant roared.

The Magus Killer invoked his time magecraft one more time It just barely allowed him to avoid Berserker's attack. The missed strike from the mad beast sent a large tree flying like a cheap matchstick.

''Saber, come to my side,'' Kiritsugu coughed more blood as he invoked his Command Spell.

In a distortion of space, the form of the silver knight appeared with his holy sword at ready. He promptly met the charge of the mad beast with steadfast determination. The two collided in a shockwave as the swordsman stood his ground. The crazed roar of Berserker filled the night, but Kiritsugu turned to attention away from the clash to look at the worried features of his wife, Irisviel.

''Are you alright?'' he looked him over in a panic.

''I'll live,'' the Magus Killer responded. One of the three crimson marks on his hand had disappeared with the usage of his Command Spell. He grasped his gun again, looking around for Kotomine.

The Executor was gone. Understandably, he had retreated from the superhuman battle between legends.

''Please, hold Berserker off,'' Irisviel glanced at Saber. The silver swordsman had carved a massive wound on the mad beast's body that quickly closed.

''The fire around us should spread soon. Get out of here,'' Saber instructed as he parried another attack.

* * *

Kirei breathed heavily as he ran through the forest.

He felt new feelings. Feelings of rage and frustration ran through his body. He had been a moment away from getting the answer he sought for so long when he had been interrupted. The homunculus had swooped in, and Emiya got the chance to call his Servant. It was a missed opportunity that Kirei would not get again. His prize had been snatched from his grasp at the last possible moment. He had taken great risks, and he had defied Tokiomi's orders to close with the Magus Killer.

To add to that fact, Assassin was dead.

He felt their connection fade near the middle of his fight with Kiritsugu. That surprised Kirei for a moment, but he was focused entirely on Kiritsugu. Now that his battle was over, he could think about what happened. Assassin was gone. Kirei didn't know how she was defeated, only that she was. He knew that the Hassan of Serenity was merely a tool, a scout to be used on Tokiomi's orders. The priest accepted that from the very start.

Yet somewhere in his shriveled, blackened heart, Kirei felt a flash of pity.

For someone like the priest, that was the closest he could get to genuine empathy.

* * *

Kariya paused as he felt the approach of his Servant.

He had sent in Berserker when Jekyll had spotted the two enemy Masters fighting each other. It seemed like a golden opportunity to kill them both, especially with the other Servants fighting each other. Berserker had attacked the two men, but Saber's Master had been able to summon his Servant. The silver knight had been able to halt his Servant's ambush.

Saber had eventually broken off his fight with Berserker and retreated through the burning forest. Berserker had declined to pursue him, instead choosing to withdraw from the battlefield. Their fight so far had been nothing more than a brief scuffle as Saber covered the retreat of his Master. Despite that, both Saber and Berserker had been evenly matched in their brief exchange. Indeed, Jekyll hadn't been lying when he said his other personality possessed power to match the Three Knights.

Still, he had been able to gather information from his familiars as the fight had progressed. He had learned the true identities of Saber and Lancer. He had also learned about Saber's true Master.

''Ugh!'' he grimaced, pain flooded through his being. The Crest Worms writhed again in his body. Kariya paused to vomit blood and worms onto the ground as he squirmed.

A gloved hand moved to clear away the worms on the ground as Berserker looked him over in concern.

''Master,'' he spoke as Kariya blacked out again.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Serenity is the second Servant to drop out. As Kirei's Servant, that outcome was inevitable due to his lack of interest in the Holy Grail.

The defensive move that Arthur uses against Karna's Brahmastra is the same move he used against Paracelsus's amped Noble Phantasm in Fragments. Proto Excalibur is seriously powerful, even without releasing its true name. At the same time, Karna's attack wasn't the proper Brahmastra Kundala, but rather his eye beam.

Avalon ended up healing Irisviel so she could move around.

Chiron uses his x-ray vision to analyze Adam's body in Apocrypha, so I would assume that he would discern Serenity's body structure and poison like that.


End file.
